There is a band based in San Diego that is not signed to any major label but is slowly getting a following through the WWW. Their name is Pinback (named after a Dark Star character). They recorded their whole first album in the bedroom of one of the band members using the SAW program and it has done very well in indie music circles. They also have a website from which they broadcast streaming MP3 audio (link requires relatively recent version of Winamp to work) of their music more or less 24/7/365 for anyone interested. At their shows, they sell CD-Rs of live recordings of their own shows that fans snap up as they are unavailable any other way.
This, to me, is a perfect example of the new business model that bands ought to adhere to. COMPLETELY Do-It-Yourself - cutting out most layers of music industry sycophants who siphon off of others' artistry. This is what Chuck D. meant when he spoke about artists no longer being "one-dimensional" but in charge of all aspects of their music. If the music industry went under tomorrow, a band like this would still thrive as they are not dependent on the music industry machine to keep them in business other than to press CDs and distribute them - which they could do themselves if they really had to. Do *they* need to worry about Napster? I think any current bands trying to be successful should only actually start to sweat when they do a search and DON'T find any of their MP3s on Napster. That just means no one cares about their music enough to download and share it.
It sounds to me like David Lowery has contracted Metallicitus (a common ailment among former DIY musicians suddenly addicted to slurping Major Label schlong and all the benefits that come with it)....
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This, to me, is a perfect example of the new business model that bands ought to adhere to. COMPLETELY Do-It-Yourself - cutting out most layers of music industry sycophants who siphon off of others' artistry. This is what Chuck D. meant when he spoke about artists no longer being "one-dimensional" but in charge of all aspects of their music. If the music industry went under tomorrow, a band like this would still thrive as they are not dependent on the music industry machine to keep them in business other than to press CDs and distribute them - which they could do themselves if they really had to. Do *they* need to worry about Napster? I think any current bands trying to be successful should only actually start to sweat when they do a search and DON'T find any of their MP3s on Napster. That just means no one cares about their music enough to download and share it.
It sounds to me like David Lowery has contracted Metallicitus (a common ailment among former DIY musicians suddenly addicted to slurping Major Label schlong and all the benefits that come with it)....