I've had this thing about "cult status" and DIY ever since I heard about the Misifts personally hand coloring their early 45 sleeves. I think it just gives a it a very personal touch and keeps it real and undergrounded, you know?

Absolutely
I think it rocks. We need far more of it these days. As a matter of fact I totally dig what you are doing. If it was up to me it would be the business model.
I think touring, trying to 'make it' etc has really ruined many bands and rock n roll
I actually tried to rally support around a return to the patronage model a few years ago. Basically an entity would approach artists, maybe legendary ones or whatever. Through pre-sales that were donations with a minimum, an album could be commissioned.
The artist would put together a detailed recording budget. When the presales covered the expenses ONLY then would the album be recorded. Then the artist could have an album with 5000 or so copies already totally paid for. Anything they sold would be straight profit. No recoupment, no test markets BS. Each patron would receive a cd and personal thank you from the artists.

I got so frustrated with artists. like Allan Aguirre, who couldn't get record deals becuase they wouldn't tour or someone was unsure there was enough demand. The Church used to totally underwrite artists by commissioning works. Allan was on board initially but then got cold feet./

Basically the entitiy would hold the funds independently in an account and release it to the artist when threshhold was achieved. Participants would agree to give the entitly a sum or 10% of subsequent profits. The entity, non profit, would use the cash to operate the site, an On demand boutique if you will where people could hear samples of the artists, deicide to get behind them, etc as well as a LITTLE marketing. The entity could also serve as a central ordering hub.

Oh well. Too pie in the sky I guess

Sounds like a GREAT idea to me, bro! :thumbsup:

I think the other thing that leads bands down the "primrose path" so to speak, is the fact thet they are trying to make a living from their music. No matter how honorable one's intentions might be, when it comes down to putting food on the table or supporting one's family vs. making honest and quality artistic music, guess which one will usually win out? Find a career to pay the bills and then make great music in addition to that so you don't have to depend on the music to support you financially. It would change the music model radically and would probably result in less actual output, but what came out would be of a much higher quality, IMO. I think it would also not put such a strain on families by keeping artists out on the road and in the way of temptation all the time unto burnout.

That's what I'm trying to do anyway. I would REALLY like to be able to play out live too, but unless I get the RIGHT guys involved, I may not be able to do that. If that's the case, I'll remain a studio entity and keep releasing the best stuff I can. It's the creative process and the "project" that most gets me off anyway. Live shows would just be icing.

Exactly.. Under my proposed model the artist assumes no debt. There may be a little more required of his part as he has to think through his budget, and then once the funds are there, get going on recording, etc. But even if a guy could just create art, bless others, still be responsible, not be a merch/gig prostitute and maybe concentrate the live experience to several higher profile gigs per year or have the patrons pay to fly him out etc.

Plus patrons are free to donate whatever. Say I am wealthy, or a teenager with more liquid income, and I love your music. Well I could donate $20, $50, $100 to see you produce another album. I would have the satisfaction of supporting you and good art. In a way, really distantly, it is like PBS for rock. Listener supported. The guys who do produce quality art are going to sell more records, enjoy larger profits, and garner appeal. Plus if you have mastered quality retail product in hand then that becomes more attractive to a label to pick up and distro. But it shouldn't just be about the deal.
It should get back to the love of music, and making songs, etc. Not looking for that single

Hmm...how can we make this more of a tangible reality, dood?

Well I think people are way more open to the idea of presales then a couple of years ago.

I think you have to be a little choosy with the first couple of releases. The artists would have to step up to prove it is a good model and that the music would be worth the support.

I thinking just getting the idea to take root. People buy into the concept and it grows you know?

What I like is that no one has to go into debt. You could also have a comp to raise cash and awareness. Probably, eventually, a booth at Cornerstone or just a real quality web presence.

I think a star pairing may be a good boost too. Kind of like Justin Murr's thing except on a smaller scale. Like maybe, this may be too small, a blues album with Stevie, Tink, David Raymond Reeves, Larry Farkas, Roger Dale, Doug Thieme, Mansfield, Glenn Kaiser & Stu Heiss from Rez, Glenn Rogers (did you hear his Maxx Blamm stuff?), Lanny Cordola, etc.

Or like a pairing of Oz Fox, Robin Basuri, Mike Grato, and Robert Sweet. I don't know I am just thinking off the top of my head

This is really great stuff.

We know the music business - and their model of indentured servictude - is dead. Million dollar budgets, that serve no one - least of all the artist- don't work, and serve only to assist burgeoning bankruptcy lawyers.

you've got my vote - where do we sign up???

(btw - Justin's liberty 'n justice stuff is done at my guitar-player (in StrangeLand) 's studio -the NoiseGate in Pekin. I've been to several of the sessions. Was cool hanging with Josh, Stephen, Oni & others. . . I also did his CD layout for the last disc).

The good news is technology is unwittingly helong to fuel the revolution. The downside is that there is a less of a filter/barrier as to who can record so there is an influx of crap.

The upside is that big $$$ is no longer the barrier to artist development and continuance that it once was. Bono, when beig inducted with U2 , to the halll of fame, wisely noted tha U2, Dylan, and others would have never got to the Hall of Fame as theiy have had records that would have got them dropped due to sales. It is outrageous to me that a Gold record means next to nothing anymore. POD went multi-platinum and have consistently gone gold and single platinum on every following release, yet their later works are regarded as failures. Which is brutal because the muscianship has only gone up 3000% since Satellite.

All of that to say this: technology helps brings budgets down while retaining a degree of quality. Yet.... under this model a band could produce a BIG record, budget wise, if the patrons were willing to underwrite it. It need not be shoestring depending on a combination of the artist and the patrons. Conceivably fans wether in larger number or with deeper pockets, could commission an album with a recording budget of several hundred thousand. But in reality that would occur later in the model's fruition and success. We could, conceivably. give a further kick to the RIAA. Which in my opinion, along with Soundscan, have become enemies to great music/artistry.

SMASH, SMASH the RIAA!!!

(sung to the tune of Skrewdriver's "Smash the IRA")

I prefer DELETE FALSE CULTURE by decahedron

they even yell Delete RIAA< Delete Clear Channel....