| Author | Message | ||
     kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1838 Registered: 05-2005 |
Looks like the new Radiohead album is almost upon us - they are being very Radiohead-y about the way they are releasing it - details here. http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/in dex.php?c=292 I have ordered the download from them - unbelievably it looks like you can pay as much as you want to pay for it - I plumped for £3(seemed reasonable I thought  ) and it was accepted. Dont know if there is a minimum or maximum amount you can enter - anybody brave enough to try!!?? | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2323 Registered: 03-2006 |
I dunno, sir. Tell us how much you think it's worth after you listen to it! | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1543 Registered: 04-2005 |
Good for them. When the heavy hitters in the industry start rejecting the major labels--or record companies entirely--the walls will come down even faster. But I'm with LK--I'll wait for Kev's call on what we OUGHT to be paying for it. I like Radiohead well enough but have always been patient enough to wait for their CDs to hit the used bins. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 937 Registered: 08-2006 |
I'm not much of a Radiohead fan, but I think this move is brilliant. Even if the average price people are willing to pay for the record comes to just $3 or $4, that's gotta be double or triple what they got on an album sale from their old label. It's kind of no-risk move in that sense. Plus, it makes anyone who downloads the thing for free on some filesharing site look like an ass. | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 263 Registered: 05-2005 |
I wonder does this have any bearing on it? I had a look at Tom Robinson's website, searching for info about Sector 27, and spotted that he offers free downloads of some of his albums. The downloads page gives the breakdown as: "Free Downloads: iTunes downloads cost 79p per track. Writer/publisher get 6p, Performer 6-8p, Visa/Mastercard 7p, Apple 12p, and Record Company almost 50p" On TR's site, you can make a donation instead, towards the cost of keeping the site. And only if you want... Cut out all the middlemen, and give the cash straight to the performer! | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1549 Registered: 04-2005 |
In the States, Kristin Hersh (and no doubt plenty of others) has been doing that for awhile too--her trio 50 Foot Wave put out a five-track EP of new, top-notch material for free on the Throwing Music website, with a "tip jar" fans and downloaders could contribute to if they wished. Later, the EP (cleverly entitled "Free Music") was also packaged and sold in stores for anyone who prefered to buy it that way (crazy people with too much money, I guess). It's a good trend and I'm sure we'll see more of it. I think a lot of loyal fans will pony up, and as Rob said, even if it's only $3 or $4 per album, that's still way better than they were going to get from even the most progressive indie label. Cheers to the Radioheads and Wilcos and Becks of the world for embracing alternative forms of music distribution when they are popular/rich enough to keep cashing their checks from the major labels if they wanted to. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1844 Registered: 05-2005 |
Catherine, I was listening to Tom Robinsons radio show tonight on BBC6, and he was discussing the Radiohead album. Apparently you can pay as little as 1 pence for the download, although there is also the mandatory admin charge of 45 pence. This really signals the beginning of the end for those moneygrabbing pariahs at record companies, time to rejoice. They are going to have to drastically drop the price of CDs otherwise everybody is just going to download anyway. Lets face it for the generations coming through now purchasing/playing a CD will be as archaic as us playing a 78rpm record, or even a cassette!! | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1855 Registered: 05-2005 |
Apparently "research shows that almost half have forked out between £1 and £5", which must be quite a large number of people given that the server couldnt cope with demand. HMV are advertising a single CD release for 2nd December- price £11.99. Its being released by Parlophone - I thought they didnt have a record company now, hence the reason they could come up with all the shenanigens this week? | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1761 Registered: 05-2005 |
I have only one Radiohead album (whatever the last one was called) so I'm not a fan really. I do applaud what they are doing, but it won't kill off the record companies yet Kevin. Radiohead can do this because they are already well established and successful. A new band would not be able to do it as Radiohead have done. I don't want record companies to die, but they are the authors of their own death if they do. I remember a record exec being quoted in the 90s as saying that CDs had to be that expensive so that successful bands could make up the slack for the 97% of acts they never make a penny out of. The stupidity of his comment was astonishing. It's like a cafe expecting us to pay $30 for a cappucino so they can sell lattes for 10 cents. Most bands signed to major labels make no money because of a very simple fact - they threw so much shit at the wall to see what stuck. Want a more successful business model? Stop releasing records by people with no talent whatsoever. (Yeah, I know that many talent-free people sell millions of records and many with great talent sell diddly squat - but the talented poor sellers are not on major labels.) | ||
| Catherine Vaughan Member Username: Catherine Post Number: 280 Registered: 05-2005 |
At £1 to £5 per unit, that's probably more than they were getting when they were signed. The Parlophone connection could simply be a distribution deal, but that's only speculation. Either way they're winning. A music promoter acquaintance of mine is very matey with a certain solo singer-songwriter who had a distribution deal with a company, and the album sold by the truck-loads. He made about 4 times per unit what he would have if he'd had an ordinary deal. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 964 Registered: 08-2006 |
So? Did anyone get their 160KBps copy? | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2359 Registered: 03-2006 |
I didn't realize it was at 160 KBps. Is there some way you can pay more and get a higher bit rate? In these days, where 320 is the new gold standard, 160 seems pretty negligible... | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1822 Registered: 05-2005 |
Prince started the FREE "revolution", with his new album give away in a UK newsrag, Radiohead continue the theme, sad to say, believe the hype, don't be;ieve the artists, I am f*ckin bored senseless by their so called music, bored to tears, huh huh huh  | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1867 Registered: 05-2005 |
Rob/LK - Its only available at 160kbs. Just listening to it now, about 6 songs in and the quality is pretty good to be honest. Initial impressions are this is another brave record, doesnt appear to be any big anthemic rockers(thank god say I),a few of the tracks have string effects, others feature keyboards/synths - doesnt appear to be a lot of guitar on the record either. Most songs are mid paced,some with Yorkes vocals multi tracked.The track playing just now, House of Cards sounds amazing. For me, its an improvement on the last couple of albums, but like I say its early days. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1868 Registered: 05-2005 |
Spence, speaking of downloads, I just got Fifteen from Napster. Whens the new Winnebago album gonna be available from them? | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1873 Registered: 05-2005 |
Am I the only person to have heard the album yet? Its a definite grower, and further listens reveal more guitar than I picked up on in my initial listen. Overall I would say if you only liked them up till OK Computer you might not enjoy this. If like me you only liked them after OK Comp then I reckon it will be right up your street. Heres some reviews. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment /7039254.stm | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 974 Registered: 08-2006 |
I haven't heard it yet, Kev. Because I support the way they're going about getting the thing out there, I intend to buy it even though I've never been much of fan. I'm kind of hoping the positive feelings I have about the band right now will overcome my deep, abiding dislike of "OK Computer" and the resulting "best band ever" hype. I've also heard a slew of positive reviews, including yours. So I'll go for it. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2373 Registered: 03-2006 |
I am a proud possessor of "In Rainbows". Geez, I hope I paid the right price. But what do Radiohead care? They're laughing all the way to the bank. I don't have a highly polarized opinion of Radiohead, but one thing I do know is that they're nothing less than smart as hell. They're doing something really clever here, in addition to giving the record biz a big middle finger. At the very least, it seems to me that they have a huge core audience that's going to automatically buy anything with their name on it. So, those people are going to opt for the download, then, because who can really live with a 160 kbps copy, go for the CD when it comes out, too. So, at the end of the day, Radiohead could make twice as much money. As for the music, it's actually pretty good. I am probably the opposite of you, Kev (shocking, I know) and like "OK Computer" quite a bit, think it's pretty close to genius, and then the more experimental stuff that came after, not so much. This seems, to my ears, pretty song-y, though, and nicely splits the difference between the two approaches. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 976 Registered: 08-2006 |
So you're an "OK Computer" fan, LK? I'm not surprised; a lot of people whose music taste I respect went ga-ga for it. Let's say I went the opposite direction. I'm actually looking forward to hearing the new one and, hopefully, enjoying it. It's actually no fun hating Everyone's Favorite Band. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1875 Registered: 05-2005 |
LK/Rob, can I just clarify something here which I put across poorly in a post above. I actually do quite like lots of OK Comp, but not all of it. Paranoid Android and Karma Police for example just dont cut it for me, and thats probably two of their most popular songs.Its The Bends and Pablo Honey that I struggle with, they clearly wanted to be a successful band from the outset and that makes for the kind of songs I despise, then they realised that wasnt for them and had a massive change of direction with Kid A. Even if the music hadnt been great (it was) they would have had my undying respect for that move. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2377 Registered: 03-2006 |
And, to clarify my post I like parts of Kid A quite a bit, too. OK Computer I liked quite a lot, which is not to say I've ever been tempted to visit their website or join their discussion group. Not that level of fandom, but man, they're interesting... They might've really made history with this latest move. Apparently, economists are thrilled by it. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 536 Registered: 04-2006 |
i always ignored radiohead, because i foud karma police which i heard often on the radio was really boring. at the time 'amnesiac' has been released i gave them a chance and i liked that album much. also bought kid a and as hail to the thief has been released i bought this album, too. and went to an concert which was one of the most boring concerts i have ever seen. since that experience i really have no interest in that band. and i can't stand that kind of singing. | ||
| Elizabeth Robinson Member Username: Liz_the_new_listener Post Number: 119 Registered: 10-2006 |
I do still like Radiohead - though in my ears the Go-Betweens have now eclipsed them and outdo them in subtlety. Have not had a chance to listen to the new album yet.... (Ah, how well have they weathered being apart since 'Hail to the Thief' and the beautiful but derivative 'The Eraser' - spiritually, so to speak?) | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1828 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kev sorry missed thread, new Winneabgo album I think comes out in UK in Nov and rest of world in Jan 2008. God knows when you will be abloe to get ot from Napster. It took iTunes an eon to get it up, bit I think Tuition might have some luck now we are recognised and they have a relationship with them. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1877 Registered: 05-2005 |
Cheers Spence, I'll keep an eye out for it. Guess you will be touring in support of the album? | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 1831 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kev we have a gig in Northampton, at Jazz Butcher's 'Masters of Budvar', 7th December. Practices are going well. We rock pretty good together, there's 6 of us. We are covering Jacket Hangs by The Blue aeroplanes in the set. We have about 3 more gigs awaiting confirmation early '08, to support the release, then w'll see next year, it'd be nice to support Robert F if he goes out on tour. (if he'll have us!) | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2385 Registered: 03-2006 |
Oh those wacky Pitchfork dudes. They really know how to give it back to Radiohead: if you're not gonna name a price, we're not going to give you one of our fancy, highly calibrated, numerical ratings, that'll show ya: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/re cord_review/46356-in-rainbows There's also a rave review of it in Pop Matters. Huh, I'll have to go back and listen, since I trust Pop Matters - they're 98.74% more likely to give an accurate review than the Fork. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 982 Registered: 08-2006 |
Did you click on the question mark? I gotta hand it to the Pitchfork guys; that's funny. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1879 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yeah, I thought that was pretty clever too Rob. The more I hear it the more I think its a goodie, must admit I'm still more drawn to the slower reflective songs. The critics seem to like it, these reviews dont include the Popmatters review or the 9.3 that Pitchfork gave it http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/ radiohead/inrainbows | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2387 Registered: 03-2006 |
Wow...I'm still scratching my head a little bit over the 9's, though. Do you think it's that good, Kev? I do think it sounds more like songs than anything they've done in a while, like they actually worked on 'em a bit. I'll be interested to hear how it's been selling for them, what the average amount paid for it was...I'll bet they've made out very well. Like Anne Frank, I think most people are good, honest, etc. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1880 Registered: 05-2005 |
LK, if we're dishing out marks, at this minute I would give it an 8. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1918 Registered: 05-2005 |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment /7082627.stm I paid £3 | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1050 Registered: 08-2006 |
That's disappointing - not that you paid three pounds, Kev, but that so many people, many of them presumably fans, chose to pay nothing. Even if you take into account the fact that kids don't have credit cards and would pretty much have to snag it for free - and that some people probably went for the download who just wanted to find out what the band was about - that still leaves a lot of people looking like cheap-ass deadbeats. I'm sure the band did fine financially, but this attitude that exists today that anything that's not nailed down or chained up is there for the taking is depressing. Music has worth. Words have worth. Visual art has worth. Freakin' pay something for it, people, or we're gonna live in a world entirely populated by hedge fund managers and thieves, as if there's a difference. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1619 Registered: 04-2005 |
Welcome to world that digital, easily portable music (and video entertainment too, of course) created. A good thing in so many ways, but definitely a mixed bag when it comes to artists trying to make a living. Sadly, not that many people will pay their fair share, assuming that others will cover for them. Obviously, Radiohead can afford this. But what if the Go-Betweens had released "Oceans Apart" this way? I probably paid too much (£5) for "In Rainbows," but I very much support what Radiohead is doing. And, I guess, I'm covering the costs for a couple of kids who don't think they need to pay. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2481 Registered: 03-2006 |
Not that there aren't a lot of cheap-ass deadbeats in the world, but I think "kids today" just don't have the perception that recorded music has value any more. I was going to natter on about how it's just one more sign of the world going to hell, fast (7 years of life under Chimpy McFlightsuit seriously fucks up your outlook), just one more sign of how we're devolving back into apes. I work in testing, which takes a pretty dim view of human nature - you have to be prepared for people to cheat. It's just a fact of life. There's actually a pretty high percentage of college students that think it's completely okay to cheat, btw. But no, as much I love to babble on all gloomily, I think the snarfing up music for free thing is much more benign and innocent. The generation coming up today simply doesn't share the idea that music has monetary value. They just don't get it, don't feel it in their bones. That ship has sailed, that paradigm has shifted. Taking a Radiohead disc for free is no more dishonest, or significant in their eyes than keeping 50 cents they'd find in the coin return of a pay phone (back when there were pay phones). Recorded music is a relatively recent phenomenon, it only goes back, what, less than a hundred years ago. So, it didn't always have value - that was a new idea that we had to become used to. And, we can just as easily get unused to it. Artists are simply going to have to find other ways to make money from their music, and the Radiohead experiment represented a totally admirable and innovative attempt to come to grips with the issue. I bet they sell shitloads of the $80 version, btw. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1051 Registered: 08-2006 |
For me, this goes beyond the question of "does music have value?" It's about cheating, pure and simple. It's taking the candy from the March of Dimes display and not putting in a quarter. It's about blowing off the "suggested donation" at the museum. People were given a chance to pay something, anything, for something they could get for free, and a lot of them went for the freebie, in the process failing what I see as a character test. It's not about Radiohead, or music in general. It's about being a jerk when you feel you can get away with it. Blow off the cashier at the museum, and you look like an ass to everyone behind you in line. Take the candy from the March of Dimes counter display, and you're likely to get a lecture from a fellow shopper. Tell Radiohead to go twist as you help yourself to their entire new record, and there's no one around to tell you you're a complete ass. Too bad. Because it's all evidence of bad behavior. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1940 Registered: 05-2005 |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment /7103071.stm I'm just surprised nobody else has jumped on this bandwagon yet. I suppose bands in contracts are unable to release albums this way, but even artists like Morrissey are regularly between labels. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1942 Registered: 05-2005 |
Heres a musicians view. http://www.nme.com/news/radiohead/32631 | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1070 Registered: 08-2006 |
You're generous to call the guy from Tool a musician, Kev. But I think there's a grain of truth about the Radiohead model being unrealistic for big bands. I think it's a great model for small, start-up bands, though. I used to run a tiny quasi-label/collective with four bands, and I always encouraged the groups to sell their CDs for as little as they could stomach, $10 tops. It kills me to see these young nobody bands peddling their wares for $15. Your goal is to get someone to listen to the thing first and foremost, then come see your shows. If Neil Young wants to charge $15, fine. He's earned it. But not some fresh-off-the-farm group. For better or for worse, the album is a loss leader for most bands. It's always been that way. The Radiohead scheme was just a clever, highly-publicized admission of that fact. Small bands should take note. |