Thursday, December 17, 2009
Less cranky
Jonathan has some good suggestions in the comments, some we have already incorporated. We've definitely had more success with blogs writing about the band, but most of the posts focus on the "glory" i.e. Homestead days, and sometimes blog writers, free spirits as they are, frown on "hey look at me" emails, if they even publish contact info.
I think it doesn't work to our advantage that most of our notoriety such as it was occurred in pre-internet days. I think by default we have been connecting more and more directly with folks over the last few years. Much of that is by necessity for the fans who really like the music enough to pursue it though, and keep checking in during long periods of inactivity. The internet age has opened up a lot of doors, but not everyone has time to look behind all those doors to find one little CD by a band they liked once upon a time.
I mainly just meant to comment on how inffective the "traditional" promotional routes are these days for a band that hasn't passed the Pitchfork test. There's certainly nothing wrong with option B below, which is the most likely future course for the band.
Having my music roots in pre-internet times is what also has me resistant to giving up the physical medium, i.e. CD. Obviously the costs go down by a factor of 5 if the physical medium is discarded. It's not that cost has been that much of an issue recently. I'm lucky that at the moment my well-being is not threatened by a 5-7k annual loss on band activities, like it seriously was in the late 80's and early 90's. But I do feel bad for those who would feel that pinch more severely.
I have no illusions or desires for widespread success of MDID. After 25 years and 13 records, I am capable of learning!. I recognize that in the heirarchy of things that matter, whether or not MDID goes on is not going to make a huge difference in too many people's lives. I also recognize that if I want to make more people aware of the fact that I still write songs, songs that maybe they might appreciate hearing, I have to work harder at making and keeping connections, posting things more regularly, writing more music more often, taking more chances with live shows. I think I just need to decide whether it matters enough to me to keep doing all those things...
I think it doesn't work to our advantage that most of our notoriety such as it was occurred in pre-internet days. I think by default we have been connecting more and more directly with folks over the last few years. Much of that is by necessity for the fans who really like the music enough to pursue it though, and keep checking in during long periods of inactivity. The internet age has opened up a lot of doors, but not everyone has time to look behind all those doors to find one little CD by a band they liked once upon a time.
I mainly just meant to comment on how inffective the "traditional" promotional routes are these days for a band that hasn't passed the Pitchfork test. There's certainly nothing wrong with option B below, which is the most likely future course for the band.
Having my music roots in pre-internet times is what also has me resistant to giving up the physical medium, i.e. CD. Obviously the costs go down by a factor of 5 if the physical medium is discarded. It's not that cost has been that much of an issue recently. I'm lucky that at the moment my well-being is not threatened by a 5-7k annual loss on band activities, like it seriously was in the late 80's and early 90's. But I do feel bad for those who would feel that pinch more severely.
I have no illusions or desires for widespread success of MDID. After 25 years and 13 records, I am capable of learning!. I recognize that in the heirarchy of things that matter, whether or not MDID goes on is not going to make a huge difference in too many people's lives. I also recognize that if I want to make more people aware of the fact that I still write songs, songs that maybe they might appreciate hearing, I have to work harder at making and keeping connections, posting things more regularly, writing more music more often, taking more chances with live shows. I think I just need to decide whether it matters enough to me to keep doing all those things...
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Cranky
2 months and 200 promos later and the result is a literal handful of reviews and maybe 25 stations having played the record once or twice, along with a few copies for sale on E-bay, complete with the one sheet.
Seriously, doesn't seem to be a point these days trying to self "promote" anything. Things from an "industry" perspective are worse off now than they were 25 years ago for the individual in that regard. At least in the 80's you could send out a hundred "press promos" and actually get back 25 or 30 reviews. Now, as it was prior to the "indie rock" revolution, there's only a few major players that drive the hot or not bus. Only now they are online rather than in print. I've got some thinking to do over the next year about whether it even makes sense to manufacture anything anymore. It's the old tree falling in the forest thing.. I still happen to think the last 2 records were very good records.. but only a couple hundred people even know they exist, and I'm pretty sure the boxes of both I have in the closet will outlive me.
So what's next? The choices seem to be
a) start a new band
b) keep MDID going only for my own amusement and a small circle of friends and dedicated fans, forgetting about putting out CD's and playing live.
c) pack it in finally and sell all my shit,
You can probably tell from the tone of my post which one I'm leaning towards today.
Seriously, doesn't seem to be a point these days trying to self "promote" anything. Things from an "industry" perspective are worse off now than they were 25 years ago for the individual in that regard. At least in the 80's you could send out a hundred "press promos" and actually get back 25 or 30 reviews. Now, as it was prior to the "indie rock" revolution, there's only a few major players that drive the hot or not bus. Only now they are online rather than in print. I've got some thinking to do over the next year about whether it even makes sense to manufacture anything anymore. It's the old tree falling in the forest thing.. I still happen to think the last 2 records were very good records.. but only a couple hundred people even know they exist, and I'm pretty sure the boxes of both I have in the closet will outlive me.
So what's next? The choices seem to be
a) start a new band
b) keep MDID going only for my own amusement and a small circle of friends and dedicated fans, forgetting about putting out CD's and playing live.
c) pack it in finally and sell all my shit,
You can probably tell from the tone of my post which one I'm leaning towards today.
