sirclansman
Man in Black Parade
Press-promos came available in tuesday last week so things went to this quite fast. Sad but true...
No discussion of leaked TGE here before Dec 3
- Thread starter AndreasBlomqvist
- Start date
Press-promos came available in tuesday last week so things went to this quite fast. Sad but true...
EddyRX10
rtard
I don't think it will really hurt their efforts in this case. For a band that needs more exposure, illegal downloading can be a good thing as it is a very efficient way of promoting the music (costs the band absolutely nothing.) 
The people who pirate the music probably never had any intention of buying the CD so its not a "lost sale" its merely free publicity.
Anyone who is going to buy the album (myself included) will buy it regardless of whether they download it first.
Anyway
I can't wait until December 3rd
The people who pirate the music probably never had any intention of buying the CD so its not a "lost sale" its merely free publicity.
Anyone who is going to buy the album (myself included) will buy it regardless of whether they download it first.
Anyway
I can't wait until December 3rd
Let me tell you all why downloads hurt:
First of all you all need to know that the talk about how record sales have not at all been hurt by downloads, is a crock of shit.
Sure, the bigg ass companies haven't been hurt much but they are also production companies, event companies and managements and booking comapnies all in one.
If you look at the number of indie/underground and smaller labels that have gone bankrupt the last 5-10 years the numbers are overwhealming. Also all the business events have all but vanished.
I will confess that the internet has brought us many many new fans and probably more fans than we could have had without it.
BUT, and this is a big but (actually there are a few...) that you all need to be aware of:
1) Everywhere we go, every mail we get, almost every thread on this forum; -people ask us to come and play somewhere. You wanna know why we can't? Becasue there is not enough money in the business (for smaller artists) anymore so that anyone will put up the money up front and accept the financial risk of putting a band on tour. Plain and simple truth. We are most likely to only end up at festivals where the situation is different or if some very committed people go out of their way to help us (Italian horsemen, Finnish friends etc).
It is really ironic: -the only thing you can't download is the experience of seeing aband live and meet them, but that is also at the same time exactly what you destroy the chanses of ever happening when you download.
The reality of it is that even though I from an artistic point of view are more happy with an extra couple of thousand fans that dig our music, if they don't buy our album or see us on tour they are contributing as little as people who don't care about us at all.
2) We are not doing this for money. Period. However, we might end up not doing this anymore because we can't afford to go on the way we do.
And by that I don't mean only money as in costs we pay ourselves. You all know Johnny's leaving, right? Do you think he would have done that if we could make a living off of this? Even a half decent one? NO! He would not.
I am not sure you can fully appreciate our situation. First we all work 40-50 hours a week, and have homes to take care of as well as wives and children. Once that is done, can you guess how much time it takes to write a song lik Break the silence, The Great Escape or Not an angel to name but a few? It is not a 2-hour thing, I'm telling you. Then you can perhaps guess how many countless hours we spend learning to play the stuff together and arraanging it, then add to that the recording (paid for by ourslves, performed during nights while working the days). Then comes practise to be able to play the way we do...
Then add to that going to play, not in a private jet mind you, not even a tour bus, not even a driver, but often renting a car and driving 30000miles ourselves cramped up in a minivan with all gear to get to different places.
Now, given that effort -do you think it would be ok to pay us, all five of us mind you, 1 Euro (gross) per album or is that too much to ask for? After all that is €0.25 for each one of us before taxes....
Sure -we'll do it anyway, for the music is what drives us, what makes us tick and what makes us feel alive. Can we go on like this forever? No. Can we go on one more year? We'll see.
The odds are certainly not improving with people downloading and that's a fact. Thos of you who do and think you are doing us a favor need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Every downloader who buys the album is forgiven. Anyone who does not, is not a fan in my book.
First of all you all need to know that the talk about how record sales have not at all been hurt by downloads, is a crock of shit.
Sure, the bigg ass companies haven't been hurt much but they are also production companies, event companies and managements and booking comapnies all in one.
If you look at the number of indie/underground and smaller labels that have gone bankrupt the last 5-10 years the numbers are overwhealming. Also all the business events have all but vanished.
I will confess that the internet has brought us many many new fans and probably more fans than we could have had without it.
BUT, and this is a big but (actually there are a few...) that you all need to be aware of:
1) Everywhere we go, every mail we get, almost every thread on this forum; -people ask us to come and play somewhere. You wanna know why we can't? Becasue there is not enough money in the business (for smaller artists) anymore so that anyone will put up the money up front and accept the financial risk of putting a band on tour. Plain and simple truth. We are most likely to only end up at festivals where the situation is different or if some very committed people go out of their way to help us (Italian horsemen, Finnish friends etc).
It is really ironic: -the only thing you can't download is the experience of seeing aband live and meet them, but that is also at the same time exactly what you destroy the chanses of ever happening when you download.
The reality of it is that even though I from an artistic point of view are more happy with an extra couple of thousand fans that dig our music, if they don't buy our album or see us on tour they are contributing as little as people who don't care about us at all.
2) We are not doing this for money. Period. However, we might end up not doing this anymore because we can't afford to go on the way we do.
And by that I don't mean only money as in costs we pay ourselves. You all know Johnny's leaving, right? Do you think he would have done that if we could make a living off of this? Even a half decent one? NO! He would not.
I am not sure you can fully appreciate our situation. First we all work 40-50 hours a week, and have homes to take care of as well as wives and children. Once that is done, can you guess how much time it takes to write a song lik Break the silence, The Great Escape or Not an angel to name but a few? It is not a 2-hour thing, I'm telling you. Then you can perhaps guess how many countless hours we spend learning to play the stuff together and arraanging it, then add to that the recording (paid for by ourslves, performed during nights while working the days). Then comes practise to be able to play the way we do...
Then add to that going to play, not in a private jet mind you, not even a tour bus, not even a driver, but often renting a car and driving 30000miles ourselves cramped up in a minivan with all gear to get to different places.
Now, given that effort -do you think it would be ok to pay us, all five of us mind you, 1 Euro (gross) per album or is that too much to ask for? After all that is €0.25 for each one of us before taxes....
Sure -we'll do it anyway, for the music is what drives us, what makes us tick and what makes us feel alive. Can we go on like this forever? No. Can we go on one more year? We'll see.
The odds are certainly not improving with people downloading and that's a fact. Thos of you who do and think you are doing us a favor need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Every downloader who buys the album is forgiven. Anyone who does not, is not a fan in my book.
sirclansman
Man in Black Parade
Andreas, never stop being brutally honest. Ever.
I've hung out at a few forums with industry-type members, and lots of musicians and small record label workers are saying the exact same thing - downloading without buying rips apart the small bands the most, and people who say, "Oh, I'll just see them live and buy the t-shirt instead!" don't realize that where bands get to play live hugely depends on the amount of records sold in that area. It doesn't help that metal records sold in the States (where many people would want you to play) have really pitiful numbers by nature. For example: Therion's latest album sold 800 copies within the first week (and their gig at next year's ProgPower is the only U.S. date they'd be willing to go for after losing shitloads of money on their last tours, and will probably be their last show in the States ever); Firewind's sold 700 (going to their NYC show this Sat. - will be interested in what the turnout looks like); Orphaned Land's sold 600; and ChthoniC, a band that played Ozzfest at one point, only sold... 270. Bands like Kamelot and Blind Guardian seem to be doing okay, but for the smaller metal bands, it's pretty grim. :/
So, yes: SUPPORT THE BAND, BUY THE ALBUM, etc etc etc (ESPECIALLY IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE THEM IN THE STATES AGAIN). [/soapbox]
(also, if your release party happens to be during the time I'm in Sweden, I WILL BUY THE ALBUM AND A T-SHIRT. EVEN AT RIDICULOUS SCANDINAVIAN PRICES.)
I've hung out at a few forums with industry-type members, and lots of musicians and small record label workers are saying the exact same thing - downloading without buying rips apart the small bands the most, and people who say, "Oh, I'll just see them live and buy the t-shirt instead!" don't realize that where bands get to play live hugely depends on the amount of records sold in that area. It doesn't help that metal records sold in the States (where many people would want you to play) have really pitiful numbers by nature. For example: Therion's latest album sold 800 copies within the first week (and their gig at next year's ProgPower is the only U.S. date they'd be willing to go for after losing shitloads of money on their last tours, and will probably be their last show in the States ever); Firewind's sold 700 (going to their NYC show this Sat. - will be interested in what the turnout looks like); Orphaned Land's sold 600; and ChthoniC, a band that played Ozzfest at one point, only sold... 270. Bands like Kamelot and Blind Guardian seem to be doing okay, but for the smaller metal bands, it's pretty grim. :/
So, yes: SUPPORT THE BAND, BUY THE ALBUM, etc etc etc (ESPECIALLY IF YOU EVER WANT TO SEE THEM IN THE STATES AGAIN
). [/soapbox](also, if your release party happens to be during the time I'm in Sweden, I WILL BUY THE ALBUM AND A T-SHIRT. EVEN AT RIDICULOUS SCANDINAVIAN PRICES.
)
EddyRX10
rtard
<3
But yeah I 100% understand what you're saying and I'm sure everyone here will agree with me that we absolutely adore you for the amount of your own time,effort and money that you guys put into this. Its obvious it must be extremely frustrating to see all your hard work leaking around the internet for free. I for one will support you every way I can be that by buying Merch/seeing you on tour and ofc by buying your CD's.
Also I would pay a vast amount of money for a Seventh Wonder tab book haha
tommidt
Member
I have been guilty on many occasions of simply downloading albums and not paying for them, however in my defense, I don't like the bands and delete it after I've listened to it.
As for Seventh Wonder, everyone in on the entire planet should own at least one of their cd's.
As for Seventh Wonder, everyone in on the entire planet should own at least one of their cd's.
Your last line summed up my feelings on the matter precisely. It's nice to see a brutally honest post on the subject, something i don't see much from band members. It's such a shame that you guys can't make a decent living from this right now, as you truly are one of the greatest if not the greatest band in the world right now in my eyes.
I know it's not much, but you should get some merchandise available online, i'd kill for a mercy falls t-shirt, and i'd literally pay triple figures for tab books/sheet music. I considered paying hundreds to go see you in Finland (from the UK) next week, and i'm fairly sure there are plenty of fans as dedicated as me out there.
I know it's not much, but you should get some merchandise available online, i'd kill for a mercy falls t-shirt, and i'd literally pay triple figures for tab books/sheet music. I considered paying hundreds to go see you in Finland (from the UK) next week, and i'm fairly sure there are plenty of fans as dedicated as me out there.
Andreas, please tell me there will be a releaseparty!
And hopefully selling records and merchandise for us all...
Im dying to see you play again. Im still having the SRF gig going in my head.
If its about money, I will gladly pay your tickets to "småland" and let you have it in my house. =) All fans are welcome!
And hopefully selling records and merchandise for us all...
Im dying to see you play again. Im still having the SRF gig going in my head.
If its about money, I will gladly pay your tickets to "småland" and let you have it in my house. =) All fans are welcome!
Kazar
SW-moderator
- May 14, 2007
- 946
- 86
- 28
Regarding the merchandise: I do feel that a step can be made by the (manager of the) band in the merchandise-departement. It really can be a good PR-thing and of course some extra money can be made as well.
I hope that the new official site will have a big 'merchandise-unit' where we can order a lot of SW-goodies * by the way, the SW-cap and SW-keycord are fantastic!
I'm pretty sure new T-shirts with a photo of the band or the covers from MF/TGE WILL sell.
I hope that the new official site will have a big 'merchandise-unit' where we can order a lot of SW-goodies * by the way, the SW-cap and SW-keycord are fantastic!
I'm pretty sure new T-shirts with a photo of the band or the covers from MF/TGE WILL sell.
Actually it is even better;
-we are negotiating a deal with a professional store who have contacted us to work with us in producing high quality merch that can be shipped worldwide.
We hope to have everything up and running during December time frame!
-we are negotiating a deal with a professional store who have contacted us to work with us in producing high quality merch that can be shipped worldwide.
We hope to have everything up and running during December time frame!
EddyRX10
rtard
http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2009633&spid=1314
People might want to think twice after reading this about illegally sharing music.....
People might want to think twice after reading this about illegally sharing music.....
That's awesome news Andreas. Seen as you haven't really mentioned it before, what is your view on releasing tabs/sheet music? I'm sure some people would pay alot of money to be able to play along to mercy falls
I actually have every note I've ever played in SW tabbed out so there is an opportunity there, but I would have to find someone to release it...
At least you could be sure it is 100% correct. That's just bass though, for the other instruments I don' know.
I don't even know who to turn to for that, but generally you'd have to be Dream Theater or Metallica to get tab books released
At least you could be sure it is 100% correct. That's just bass though, for the other instruments I don' know.
I don't even know who to turn to for that, but generally you'd have to be Dream Theater or Metallica to get tab books released
You know, in spite of my rant the other day I would hate to see this thread turn into a pro/con download debate that could potentially go on forever.
But I DO appreciate all your support and I just thought I wanted to give you the true picture of what life is like for once. You guys are great and we feel your support all the way.
Thanks for sticking in there!
But I DO appreciate all your support and I just thought I wanted to give you the true picture of what life is like for once. You guys are great and we feel your support all the way.
Thanks for sticking in there!
fire_angel
Timboooooo
It's probably more appropriate that we thank YOU guys for sticking it out as long as you have. Bands like SW, Symphony X and Shadow Gallery cop so much shit from fans despite being a group of guys who write and play the music they love in the little free time they do have; full time jobs and families are hard enough commitments to juggle themselves.
I think it's really time for the SW fans to make more of an effort to get out there and promote you guys. Buying the new album, having downloaded it previously or not, is definitely a good start
I think it's really time for the SW fans to make more of an effort to get out there and promote you guys. Buying the new album, having downloaded it previously or not, is definitely a good start
Could you not sell it privately in an electronic format? Or even just hire someone privately to put it all together and print it off, then sell it privately that way? I have no idea how this kind of stuff works obviously
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