NAPSTER'S TURN: While MP3.com has voluntarily agreed to disable their content in My.MP3.com while negotiations (ahem, lawsuits) continue, Napster.com is the next large target aimed at by the established music industry through the RIAA. This time, many individual bands, as well as large record companies, are filing against the service, who actively encourage fans to upload and swap ANY music files they wish, whether or not they actually own the recordings legally. Wheras My.MP3.com requires users to prove they own a legal copy of a recording before using their services, Napster crosses a line that even this artist and commentator thinks has gone too far. Metal band Metallica's lawsuit stems from a database of tens of thousands of Napster users who have illegally traded and downloaded tracks from their studio albums, and even though some of their fans are ridiculing the band (and even destroying rid of Metallica CDs in retaliation), this hardly constitutes a John Lennon "bigger than Jesus"-level statement deserving of retribution. Lots of people trade in copied cassettes and CDs of their favorite bands - Metallica even provides a "taping " section at their concerts for their fans - but a website and business designed solely to profit from pirated recordings seems rather blatent and usury (whoa, a legal term!).
SMASHING PUMPKINS: The high-concept pop band with the huge loyal following, including dozens of fan websites, has finally launched their own site (www.smashingpumkins.com). Designed by lead Pumkin Billy Corgan and Atomic Pop executive creative director Jim Evans, the site is multimedia rich, including Flash animations, music, videos, tour info and lots of ways to contact the band and other fans. For adventurous fans the site also includes hidden links that open up original animations based on elaborate interpretations of the lyrics. The band not only plans on maintaining connections with the fans, but they also have no intention of alienating existing fan sites. Says Corgan, "We hope that this new site offers more into that opaque concept album... there is so much to see and enjoy as this site becomes your re-official source for new rumours, humors, and unlocking the mysteries of MACHINA... p.s. this site is a compliment to the wonderful fan sites that already exist on the pumpkins... we want you to go to them for the ephemeral minutae and we will stick to the big picture." This is a welcomed alternative to many major-label bands that issue cease-and-desist orders to unauthorized fan sites once the label takes over their web presence.
SIBERRY: Indie artist Jane Siberry continues her indie art and business strategies to continue her work and her contact with her fans. Her website and email list announcements are currently promoting her new, soon-to-be-released CD of traditional tunes, currently entitled "UNTITLED." Through her website, her fans can preorder the CD, or even purchase a pre-pre-release "studio advance CD," copies of tracks burned onto CD-R during the mastering sessions. Thgis gives a few fans who just can't wait, for $300, a chance to get the same CDs that she and her label and management have to check the final mixes, mastering and track order. Those who purchase the pre-rtelease get a finished copy 2 months before the official release; studio advance buyers also get a finished copy. All of the proceeds go towards mixing, mastering and duplication costs. getting her fans involved in the actual process - and keeping the artist independent and true to her art, all with the aid of email and the Internet. Go to http://www.sheeba.com for info.
THEY MIGHT BE INTERNET GIANTS: Rock band They Might Be Giants, who got their start posting song demos free on an answering machine, released a new MP3-only EP album of new, previously-unreleased studio recordings, titled "Working Undercover For The Man," through EMusic.com. Through a promotion designed to make music fans more familiar with purchasing downloadable music, the first U.S. 10,000 customers who buy the entire eight-song EP from EMusic for $7.99 will have a limited-edition CD of the album shipped to them at no extra cost (single MP3 tracks from the EP can also be purchased and downloaded individually for 99 cents each). "As the world moves towards MP3, this will show a lot of people how easy getting their music off the Net really is. Giving our audience the music in both MP3 and CD formats lets everybody relax," said band guitarist John Flansburgh from his kitchen in Brooklyn. "EMusic shows how a band and their audience can work together to make downloadable music a positive and creative idea for everyone. The Web gives us an immediate link to our audience -- and we can stay in touch with them directly. Once a fan finds out how involved the band is, they don't even want to trade our music illegally. We don't have to focus on anything but the music. It's an incredible moment for musicians."
IT'S A JAZZ,JAZZ, JAZZ WORLD: The Warszawa, Poland-based Jazz World Society Online (http://www.jazzsociety.com) is compiling and updating their year 2000 edition of the Jazz World Database (JWD), the best known and most frequently used reference on the subject. The aim of the 16-year old JWD and Jazz World Society Online is to function as a career development resource designed for jazz professionals of all levels and in all segments of the industry. All jazz professionals are welcome to participate; you can get a questionnaire by emailing Publisher Jan Byrczek at jwd@idt.net.
UNSIGNED ARTISTS: A new Orlando, Florida-based site, www.unsignedartistsdemos.com, looks to be another site for unsigned bands and artists tring to get exposure ("Find new talent without the hassle of demo tapes" reads the site, right above the "Under Construction" animation). They digitize artist's songs into Real Audio files, and include band info with the music. They plan on running ads in Spin, Billboard and this magazine. The site charges $100 to post one song for 6 months, which seems a bit high compared to many other similar sites, despite the claim that their website is "the only music website that promotes your songs directly to major record labels, independent record labels, major recording studios, and production house. We'll have to wait and see how they grow.
SWR: Local bass guitar amp and speaker manufacturer (known in the trade as "bass systems") SWR has launched a new and improved Internet website (http://www.swreng.com), which provides web surfers with an easy, entertaining and informative source of SWR facts, updates, history, and news. In addition to detailed product descriptions and pricing, the new site includes downloadable owner's manuals, a complete listing of SWR dealers, interviews with SWR endorsees, clinic news, and answers to frequently asked SWR questions. Customers can also register their SWR purchases online, get access to authorized SWR service centers, and a glimpse of what is happening at the factory via a bi-monthly newsletter.
2KSOUNDS: Another new soon-to-launch site is 2KSounds.com, an Internet label formed by John Guidon and producer Michael Blakey. 2KSounds plans to use the Internet to build an online community to include tens of thousands of new artists and songwriters, fans, street teams, college reviewers and college radio stations. As opposed to traditional labels, they plan to pay artists' royalties starting with the first record sold, at half rate, until expenses are recouped (as opposed to a traditional deals which pay nothig until all expenses are recouped). The label is currently actively seeking submissions of hit-potential pop, alternative, rock, urban and latin acts; send your demos to 2KSounds, Jorge Hernandez/A&R, 21700 Oxnard St. Suite 1030, Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (email Jorge@2ksounds.com).
ERNIE BALL BATTLE OF THE BANDS 4: The Battle of the Bands, sponsored by string manufacturer Ernie Ball, is the longest running and largest live music promotion, giving 304 emerging bands worldwide a chance to play live and win stuff. Go to http://mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=8031 for info on how to participate.
ONLINE COLUMN SUBMISSIONS: Altar Native (www.altarnative.com), an online music and entertainment site, is looking for volunteers to contribute a monthly local music column from various cities across the country, and, if possible, other countries. They seek people who are unbiased in their writing (i.e, who don't want to write only about their own or their friend's band), and who just want to help spread the word about their local music scene and the bands and musicians in it. They currently have about 10 Local Native sections, and wish to add as many as possible. For more information contact Altar Native editor Omar Perez at omar@altarnative.com.
WEBTIPS: So Many Sites, So Many VariablesDear Joel:Indie artist Diana Williamson (http://www.mp3.com/dianawilliamson/) writes: "hi there. You are so helpful in putting things in terms that people who don't know much about computers understand and I thank you for that. I don't know if you've addressed this topic (cause I am behind on my trade reading - they are in a stack by my desk) But some sites you need to upload your music. ( I just paid a friend 60$ to put me on the mp3 site -mp3.com/dianawilliamson) and that was that. So when I go to some other sites I don't know how to join them? For eg. The farmclub.com I wanted to join but felt so lost when I read the instructions on how to join that my brain started buzzing and I had to leave? Is there a way you can explain how to join some of these sites if you are computer illiterate? Are they easy or is it just me?" I always recommend that artists and bands post on as many sites as they can, even if they have their own website (I probably add some of my material to 3 or 4 new sites a month). If you are computer and Internet literate, this may take a bit of time (each site does it different, with different requirents), but that's why they're free. If you don't have a computer, or are fairly computer-illiterate, there are many sites that will do some of this work for you for a small fee. If you're fluent on the computer, these sites are probably not for you (unless they are really cheap, then the more the merrier). If not, these sites perform an important service, and for $10-50 they are probably well worth it. Be sure to read the small print (no exclusivity, reasonable per-sale fees, etc), and mail em out! If you don't know how to do it, and don't have a "computer-friend," then paying someone who knows how to get the job done may also be worth it, especially if you can get on some of the major sites like Amazon.com (Advantage program), MP3.com and IUMA. These sites only require that you follow the directions and spend the time uploading the files, typing in your info, send in your CDs (if applicable), etc. But don't expect to buy a computer today and get on all of these sites tomorrow. There is a learning curve - how long was it between the time you got your first guitar and you did a gig? As musicians we have many advantages over other computer users, having experience in mastering complex instruments and equipment, sophisticated notation, mental logic and challenging structures, all indicative of computer use. Get your chops up, then wail away! |
© 2000 Music Connection Magazine.