First thing, if you don't read the PDX-based music blog Pampelmoose, you really should. It is run by Dave Allen, the bassist for the legendary post punk band Gang of Four and he writes eloquently about how the music business is changing and what it means for artists (and he's got a lot of great, free, legal mp3s on the site).
Allen is always a thought-provoking writer and this week he wrote one of the most interesting posts I've read in a long time. He said that bands now are "in the t-shirt business" (the profit margins are greater with other merch than they are with CDs). Here's what he wrote:
I am not being facetious when I say that bands are in the T-shirt business as I believe very strongly that as music slips down to zero in dollar value then artists must move quickly to find different ways to make money from their art. [The 'value' of music is based more than ever these days in emotion and much less in dollars.]
...Its the part where musicians begin to squirm, especially the ones who haven’t grasped the notion that free really works. In another part of the presentation I discuss the idea of increasing CD and T-shirt sales at shows by never having prices posted for each item at the point of sale or “merch” table. My thinking here is that those fans that really like the band and are leaning towards buying will ask what the price of a CD is. And the answer should be “how much do you want to pay?” I guarantee that the answer will be somewhat along these lines - “I only have $4,” “I’d like to give you $10,” “You guys were great, here’s $20,” “I have no money.” You should sell your CD at those prices to all of those folks and give one to the guy with no money. They will never forget the experience they had and they will tell their friends that you are the coolest band on earth for doing that.
He then posted an e-mail he got from Amanda Brooks, the lead singer for a Chapel Hill, NC band called Violet Vector and the Lovely Lovelies (who I was crushing on at the beginning of 2008 - and still am). The e-mail said that her band decided to not put a price tag on their items and had more money at that show because of it.
I think he's right. With songs being sold for $.99 on iTunes, making a profit from music sales alone is going to be very difficult and bands that survive will do so because they built a personal connection with their fans.
You should read the whole thing (including the comments). Do you agree?
1 imaginary liz said on February 12, 2009
It's an interesting theory. But, for me personally, that whole garage sale barter mentality thing turns me off from approaching the table and making an offer.
Of course, if I really want something by a band I love, I'll do it -- but if it's someone I don't know that well that I just heard for the first time, it's intimidating to try to calculate the price that's fair and pays them for their work.
2 The Grim said on February 12, 2009
I think the whole negotiation thing would only be helpful until many bands started doing it. Once that became the norm, I'd assume that people's greedy natures would override the novelty value and honor behind the idea (I do think it's a great, idealistic notion), and people would just learn to lowball stuff, and pretty soon, it'd be like buying knock-off Rolexes in Tia Juana at the merch table. No thanks.
I realize that economic principles are changing and bands have to make money, but I really cringe at the idea of "bands being in the T-shirt business" every time I hear it. The ultimate endgame in that proposition is bands' music becomes nothing more than an advertisement for a fashion line, like a way to hook you in like the latest cool iPod commercial does.
Sadly, I think it's going to take a LOT of small bands folding, closing up shop and quitting before people realize that, "Hey, music actually has value to my life, and all those times I was taking music off the internet, I probably should have been paying for it, because now there isn't much of it left."
3 Greg said on February 16, 2009
"Pay what you can" didn't work for Club Impact in Tacoma. Granted, it's an establishment and there were many other factors that contributed to it. At first, the number of folks getting in for nearly free was low. When others started hearing about it, suddenly a huge influx of people who otherwise could have paid, didn't. I feel this would be the trend with bands.
What a band does to get its money is up to them. Shirts, patches, whatever. Some could benefit with more personal interaction with their audiences.
I purchase items from bands that respond to questions, and are generally okay people. Don't wanna do that after a show? Okay. Then just post more one-way communication on your Myspace or webpage. Let us know what's going on, so we can appreciate what you do on another level.
For one, I love reading about Kimya Dawson. It's like a friend I've never met in person. I feel that when I give her money, it's directly supporting her and her baby.
Around the time Horse the BAND released their last album they were yammering about how people should buy their album even though they probably wouldn't see a dime of it. Now what the heck incentive is that for me to buy the album? If I could be sure that all the money wasn't going to intermediaries, I'd be more apt to buy the music over merch. I do see shows when I can, but most of that money gets eaten up in transportation, right?
What is the answer? I don't know.
4 imaginary dana said on February 16, 2009
I'm with Liz on this one - pay-what-you-can just makes me uncomfortable. I'd rather just know what the cost is and pay it... otherwise I feel like that Monty Python skit.
"$20 for that you must be mad!"
Ya know the one...
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