Friday 25 September 2009

Free, free, set them free?

So, it's funny how, after all I've said about 'unestablished' bands (for want of a better term, which is probably, 'unknown' bands) making their music free for download, that as I was uploading the new Pocket Rocket EP to ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP-RECORDS, I chose to make it: 65p your individual download, two quid your whole EP.

Apart from the one site, for which Give The Boy A Chance had to remain free to qualify to appear in an unsigned bands chart, I couldn't bring myself to give any of the new EP away. Not after all that time and love and money that went into producing it.

Don't worry though, I'll get over it. As I mentioned in the last blog, one person has spent £2 so far. He knows who he is. I know who he is. Hopefully, he's playing it in his office (there's your first clue - he has his own office) as I write, hopefully with the windows open - it is a warm and bright autumnal day - and the whole of Clerkenwell (there's your second clue) is getting an earful of it too. Maybe... no... no more clues.

Now, I'm sure, when I get round to the giant email-out promoting Pocket Rocket's new EP, that we'll sell at least another couple of downloads. Now, at this point I'll probably give in to me old modus operandi, and make them all free to download.

The CD-EP, when we produce it, will of course be two quid as well. But free to mates, and people who come to gigs. Somewhere between free and two quid, then. I wonder if there's a bar code for that?

So, should I just get on with it and make the downloads free? Because, what's the point in a few quid anyway? It's not worth worrying about, is it?

3 comments:

Matt said...

By our time of life, we should have passed the 'gonna make it or die trying' stage and are now doing this music thing because we love it.

Admittedly it would be nice if the obsession that we all have paid for itself but if we played golf we'd expect not to make any money, so why, because there are some people who make an enormous amount of money doing the same as us, should we? we shouldn't confuse Tiger Woods with the black bloke next door who has a set of clubs in the boot of his Ford Sierra.

A friend of mine is obsessed with making what money he can from a tiny and rather insignificant back catalogue (he doesn't make anything at all and is now quite bitter about it) every time I chat to him, i just feel sorry for him.

Being in a band is as much therapy for a fat middle aged bloke (me) as giving pleasure to those that we play for. Go on, give it away, free yourself from that money-grubbing Thatcherite 'get what you can' mentality and embrace poverty !!

Remember Floating Anarchy is gonna save us!!

Oh, and sorry to report that I've heard nothing yet wafting across the breeze and into my office in Clerkenwell :o(

Matt the Anarchist
The Outbursts

The Lone Groover said...

....doing this music thing for the love of it is great and the reason that all us old codgers are still doing it, but if you can flog a couple of tracks...why not? Friends, family and even (dare I say it)....FANS! generally don't mind shelling out a couple of quid to show their support....or alternatively, give it away gratis....it doesn't really matter that much...I for one, will be "buying" these Pocket Rocket tracks....'cos I like 'em.....Call me old fashioned!

Matt said...

me too ;o)