Thoughts about the music business

[Eurynome]

Then there are those who don't really care about anything and just play. They don't care if their stuff is pirated or sold, as long as people appreciate it. These guys are, in my eyes, probably the best.

Amen to that. And yeah, I feel just the same about collecting records as entire pieces of art. [Fortunately there is still some appreciation for that left among the - now writing from the perspective of a fortysomething - younger generation, otherwise I wouldn't have found myself carrying two vinyl albums across half of Europe two years ago. ] Those whining Danes (including a certain former wannabe tennis player) simply don't realize how much one goes hand in hand with the other. My physical collection of albums is fairly large, but much of it is made up of bands I'd never have even heard of without the 'net.

I bow before you, ma'am.

Heh, wish I could take credit for this one, but truth is, I once read it somewhere. I don't remember where and it was many years ago, but it's one of those quotes you never forget.

 

[tuonelan]

My guess is that the Megatallicadeth types complaining about downloading are a lot like the science fiction authors in the US complaining about how eBooks are killing their sales.

A - it's a niche market
B - book stores, like record stores, are rare and the big chains pay little attention to niche markets
C - the publishers stopped caring about what they sell a long time ago and only care about quarterly profits and best sellers that can move enough product to make mass buys worthwhile

90% of the work that the publishers do goes towards the publisher and their overhead and profits and trying to keep their volumes high and their outlets open. Very few artists have enough brand name recognition to help with that and almost none of them are artists from niche markets.

You can still make it as a full time writer/artist/musician in a niche market, but only if you set your sights on making a living wage, or maybe a comfortable wage if you are lucky, and don't mind working as hard as the rest of us for the right to do something you love.

 

[papajohnny]

Fortunately there is still some appreciation for that left among the - now writing from the perspective of a fortysomething - younger generation, otherwise I wouldn't have found myself carrying two vinyl albums across half of Europe two years ago.

Haha, and I'm very glad you did

As a member of a younger (de)generation, I can, almost happily report that there are actually plenty of people who are of my age who buy CDs/vinyls. We/they are still in a minority, but vinyls, as well as compact disc, are not dead, fo' sure.

The quality of the music bought is a totally another topic (more often than not it's Slaymegatallicadether and similar), and often it's just for show ("Hey, I got Venom's Black Metal LP, but I don't have a record player, but it doesn't matter, because Venom rules!")

My physical collection of albums is fairly large, but much of it is made up of bands I'd never have even heard of without the 'net.

My collection is small and growing, but the situation is pretty similar. All of my "favorite" bands whose CDs/vinyls I own I've heard over the net, or to stretch it a bit, over some random pirated CD-R (Amo falling in this category).

Heh, wish I could take credit for this one, but truth is, I once read it somewhere. I don't remember where and it was many years ago, but it's one of those quotes you never forget.

The quote is beyond awesome, and spreading it wins you many internetz.
I will proceed to add it to my "quotes for special occasions" part of the brain.

You can still make it as a full time writer/artist/musician in a niche market, but only if you set your sights on making a living wage, or maybe a comfortable wage if you are lucky, and don't mind working as hard as the rest of us for the right to do something you love.

Pretty much summed it all up right there.

 

[xptrinity]

I wouldn't have found myself carrying two vinyl albums across half of Europe two years ago. ]

... and realising that you forgot them at my place halfway to the Amo gig and Vili driving you back. But hell, music needs some sacrifices

I counted my CD collection this past weekend. 106. I know it's not a lot, but I am one of the rare animals in Bulgaria who actually buy music. It's just that I love the thrill of having the thing in my hands, tearing the wrapping, smelling the paper and the ink, leafing through the booklet, reading the lyrics and the notes. I can count on the fingers of one hand the occasions when I bought music digitally and it was things that were for download only - official live shows from Sofia.
I did some simple math (I am not capable of any math above the fourth grade anyway). The majority of those 106 CDs has been bought since 2009, except for maybe 6-7. Let's say that in those past 4 years I bought 100 CDs. This makes 25 per year, which is a rough average of one every other week. It's fair to note that some are second hand - mostly older stuff I had on tape that I want to have on CDs, but about 2/3 are new CDs. So, quite understandably, I am immensely annoyed by bands who rant on "the internet ruined everything" and fans who download stuff. Especially having in mind that a considerable part of my collection has been bought when I heard the music on the internet - be it illegal downloading, YouTube or SoundCloud (we don't have Spotify) and live - at festivals or as support bands of a band I went to see. I bet a considerable part of people who still buy music - CDs/LPs (and we know that the physical formats are still alive and well in the metal genre, compared to the others), do just the same.
As a matter of fact, I've been toying with the idea of starting an LP collection, but I need a gramophone first.

 

[papajohnny]

LPs are apparently the thing these days.
I personally love vinyl, even though, in reality, when it comes to physical format, I buy CDs more and listen them more because of sheer practicality. However, when it comes to aesthetic quality, vinyl wins by a long shot, even though CDs have a better, more consistent sound.

Unfortunately, like I've mentioned in the previous post, I have a feeling that the good percentage of people buys vinyl solely to brag and parade around with it, instead of actually listening to it and enjoying it. I'm referring to the metal music here, I wouldn't know about rock or anything else.

 

[Karhu]

What IF there was no music at all?

I know you guys are just getting PICKY

Enjoy what you can get and believe in it. See it live is the best thing. "pictures don't quite compare"

Music is changing quicker than a fart in an elevator.

It's now like Last of the Mohicans for some stuff but at least it has been recorded and last I checked, there's a million hours of good stuff out there that should suffice.

(always searching for new stuff too but to be critical on the oldies, well, is just OLD)

 

[Karhu]

I need a beer

 

[xptrinity]

So... Metallica are playing in Antarctica for Coca-Cola Zero fans. As far as I'm concerned Metallica can stay there forever.

 

[tuonelan]

Freezing
Can't move at all
Screaming
Can't hear my call
I am dying to live
Cry out
I'm trapped under ice

 

[Karhu]

Cliff was the dude

 

[xptrinity]

I wouldn't say Maiden are a favourite band of mine, but I've always had immense respect for them. Here is a proof it is well deserved.
http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/iron-maiden-track-illegal-downloads-to-plan-gig-locations/

 

[papajohnny]

Iron Maiden has been one of the few, if not the only, "big band" to say: "Download our stuff, we make money from gigs anyway."
In this day and age, this is certainly praiseworthy.

 

[xptrinity]

Record vinyl sales in 2013.
I should buy me a gramophone. Problem is, I understand fuck all about gramophones.

 

[Eurynome]

I should buy me a gramophone. Problem is, I understand fuck all about gramophones.

You managed to handle mine, and they're basically all the same. Go for it!

 

[xptrinity]

I am ashamed to admit it, but I don't really know what pieces of equipment I need to buy (besides the obvious turntable and speakers) in order to have a decent system. We've never had a gramophone when I was a kid, so I don't have the knowledge.

 

[papajohnny]

Well...not much beyond that. You need the "amplifier" (I'm ashamed to admit that I don't know the proper English word for it) to turn the volume on speakers up and down etc. It just needs to have a place where you can plug-in for the cable connecting to the gramophone.
Of course, you need some other "appliances" - a special sort of brush to clean the needle and another one for records, a good shelf or something where you can store records in the vertical, 90 degrees angle...and that's about it. You already know all of this, I'm pretty sure.

Thing is, you need to find a good gramophone (or, to be more precise, a good needle), as well as good speakers/headphone. Not much point in planning to listen to records if your needle sucks and damages records faster than a good needle etc.
Ask around for solid gramophones. You can find some medium-class solid ones for around 60-100 euros, new or used (I recommend new ones, of course, but if you find a used one which wasn't used all that much, it can be a good bargain). Getting a spare needle isn't bad either - since needles "die" over time and need to be replaced (be sure to have the one that will fit on your gramophones - there are various types of needles for various sorts of record players). I believe some new gramophones come with a spare needle "in the box", but I'm not sure.

It may seem complicated, but in reality, it isn't that much. It can just be very costly.

Be vary though - a high price for the gramophone doesn't necessarily mean good quality. I know there are some manufacturers out there which make fantastically looking turntables, real beauties, costly too, but suck hard when it comes to playing records.

 

[tuonelan]

I am ashamed to admit it, but I don't really know what pieces of equipment I need to buy (besides the obvious turntable and speakers) in order to have a decent system. We've never had a gramophone when I was a kid, so I don't have the knowledge.

Check out the buying guide at Crutchfield. They are total audiophile snobs and expensive as hell, but they know what to look for and have a decent guide.

 

[xptrinity]

Check out the buying guide at Crutchfield. They are total audiophile snobs and expensive as hell, but they know what to look for and have a decent guide.

This is very useful, thank you tuonelan! :*

 

[xptrinity]

We should definitely start a Metallica thread...
Recently I read that Kirk Hammett was complaining that people didn't go to see their 3D movie. "the people that we were counting on to buy movie tickets — which was your casual moviegoer — they weren’t as motivated to buy a ticket as our fans. For us, that was a big question mark. Why?", Kirk said.
Well, Kirk, maybe people actually don't care about you as much as you to think... I for one didn't buy a ticket, because I got the impression that it is a concert. I don't like Metallica that much, have seen them twice (the second time I just left halfway through their set), so why would I go to the cinema to watch a Metallica concert? Besides, I hate 3D. Gives me headaches and vertigo.
It is beyond me how come Metallica started thinking so highly of themselves... Especially considering the fact that their last few albums are pretty boring. (Not counting "Lulu" - this was plain horrid.)

 

[Eurynome]

"Why?", Kirk said.

Dear Kirk, I can only answer this question for myself, but I have reason to believe my situation equals that of many. For several years in a row, salaries in my country have not kept pace with rising living expenses caused by general inflation, the recent VAT increase, and several other factors beyond the control of the average consumer. Almost inevitably, cuts resulting from reduced purchasing power are directed at the leisure budget - sad but true. I feel your desparation in the face of a task as insurmountable as imagining the struggles of a low-income household from the viewpoint of a troubled millionaire, but the price of a 3D movie ticket - popcorn not included - equals my food budget for half a week. In spite of this, I am still willing to shell out such a sum for a movie that I really want to see. Unfortunately, having seen the last one ten years ago, another Metallica flick is not one of them. My almost sincere apologies for skipping it, and also for not buying a €90 ticket to your upcoming show when instead I can sit on the beach nearby and listen for free with a €1 beer in my hand.