I know this might sound silly, but there is something awesome about ordering direct from an artist, opening the whiplash mailer, and seeing a sticker or handwritten note inside.
I’m 100% with you. I’d rather pay more and receive it a bit later if it means getting it from the artist directly! I mean, I buy directly from those who don’t need it (like Mariah is going to struggle to pay the bills 🤣) but especially from indie/up-and-coming artists for whom I know it will make a big difference!
Thanks for the follow, Andres. Big vinyl junky myself (although I’ve moved a lot, back and forth overseas-soooo the pile has had to stay in storage 😮💨). But yes, your post gave me an idea. I am releasing 12 songs this year. One song per month. And if all goes well, in 2025, all will be compiled onto one platter! It’s this morning’s pipe dream, but hey...in the meantime, if your ears can handle digital format for four minutes and thirty-six seconds, here’s Miss January! https://brittapejic.bandcamp.com/track/shes-wrong
Britta, this is awesome. Thanks for the introduction and for sharing your track! (I do listen to digital when on the move). Great track. I particularly liked the harmonies (in the intro and throughout). There’s something very 90s about it which gave me a feel-good vibe instantly. Fab work. You should definitely get your songs pressed onto vinyl!
Thanks so much for listening! This and the other songs to come, were all a long time in the making. I recorded them with a friend in France. Since, they’ve bounced back and forth across the ocean for tweaking and polishing. Now it’s time to let go, Bon Dieu!! Next one up in mid February! 😁
This is a good summary of the aggregated advice we musicians have been getting from many quarters since a couple years before the pandemic. A couple caveats, tho':
1) For all its appeal, vinyl remains a terrifying upfront expense for all but the most well-financed artists with the most "sure-shot" pre-sale prospects. It also wreaks havoc upon another thing the advisers insist we have: a consistent release schedule. Until manufacturers are more plentiful and more capacious, vinyl remains a dangerous gamble for artists that CDs are not.
2) It's become somewhat fraught these past few years to court and encourage "parasocial " relationships with people who may like your music; and the idea of seeking or creating "superfans" is a bit ethically suspect. Cults abound in many cultural fields, + a certain fatigue with that level of intense marketing interaction is bound to set in somewhat soon. As a musician, I'd much more enjoy having "casual fans"; whose lives my work may make a little bit brighter without demanding the disproportionate spending of their time and attention and agency over aspects of my normal human presence that such parasocial relationships create. Not out of any pose of misanthropy, either; I just respect their lives and milieus as they are, and would rather earn a small pleasant space with my work in those than a larger, more fraught one.
Maybe I'm alone in this wish, but the "superfan" thing seems to lead nowhere good for those who become idol or idolizer.
Thank you and you raise valid points, which in my view are linked: the stance an artist takes on their marketing/relationship with their audience will (among other factors of course) have an impact on the level of success/cashflows for future projects. Vinyl is an investment; supply chains, labour shortages and capacity constraints have altered even the release schedule of some best-selling artists, so I'm not sure if having a consistent release schedule is realistic in the current landscape.
As for whether or not it's ethical to seek or create "super fans", the reality is they have existed for generations (Elvis, Beatles and everything in between). The phenomenon is obviously not new. It will be up to the artist/band to decide what kind of relationship they want to nurture with their audience. What I find particularly interesting (and what drew me to write about this in the first place) is that against a backdrop of plummeting (physical) record sales in favour of record streaming numbers, there are some very loyal fans out there who will not only go to every single show but will also purchase physical records and make a point of doing so from the artist directly (something which a couple of decades ago would not have been as easy, or even feasible, for some artists to facilitate).
I would say that such loyalty is a natural response to how impersonal and exploitative the present music business has become, which is evident to even the consumer.
There's also a social component to following a band that closely, as evidenced by the Phish Army (?) and other "jam bands" that seek to follow in the Dead's footsteps. That aspect seems relatively benign; however, other manifestations of modern parasocial behavior are proving to be less so. That's why one must carefully consider how much and what kind of attention they intend to court. It shouldn't be a "business default" strategy.
I don't entirely agree with your first statement. I prefer not to generalise. Many fans are loyal because they feel the artist or band changed their lives, healed some deep wounds or generally made an extraordinary impact in their lives. There's a lot more to it than we can cover in a few comments, but when someone is at breaking point and doesn't pull the trigger because they found inspiration in a certain band or artist, that's one life saved. I see it a lot in Latin America where I am from, not to mention gay fans in the middle east, for example. Even in the US there is still a lot of homophobia and racial abuse (among other issues, but these are the two main things I see in fan communities I know well, like Mariah fans for example). These are complex social issues which an artist alone should not have to/cannot be expected to fix. But in the meantime, when folks are still, in 2023, being put through hell by their families for being gay, for example, and the only thing they have to hold on to is a bunch of songs from an artist and a fan community they can rely on, that makes a huge difference in some people's lives.
I don't know if certain manifestations of modern parasocial behaviour are worse now than before. It's going to be 43 years since Lennon was murdered by a fan. I think we've come a long way since then. Not saying it's all inoffensive now, but there have been improvements, for example this whole sense of community I see more and more in fanbases nowadays, even across genres.
I listen, eagerly, to all your voice-overs! Partly to convince myself to do more of my own, but also 'cause I dig your voice! The vision of a tiny Andy talking into his speakers is an adorable picture, and I wish I could've been that wonder-filled as a vinyl-spinning '60s tot! Maybe I talked to Bozo's red record on my carry-case record player around 1960 when I was 5! I hope so.
Gotta be honest, dood.....I've never heard of Super Fans or this new trend of DTC. Plus, I haven't been to a live gig in about a decade (Ian Anderson here in Austin, TX), so I don't know from merch tables. I've heard of merch tables at shows, but didn't realize it's leaned on by artists a lot now. And, with the 'Net, a closeness of artists to fans BETTER be happening, or we're not doing it right! And, it's great to see fans using the 'Net and other means to help ensure their cash actually gets to the creator.
Beautiful last paragraph and a clever, heart-warming call-back to your opening!
Thank you, Brad! Glad to hear you enjoy the voice-overs! I very rarely (by which I mean never) go off script (except the occasional chuckle which you can probably kind of hear), but I had to because it took like an hour to get those 3 minutes of clean audio (without phones, doorbells etc. getting in the way!).
Yes, merch stands are everywhere at concerts, of all sorts!
What you say about the net and the exchange between artists and fans: I couldn’t agree more!
Thank you, as always, for your very kind words! When you dig, I know I’m doing something right!
We love your informality in your V.O.s. What you're doing is what those of us who worked in radio had to learn to do....address our audience naturally, warmly, friendly, and relaxed....which you do in spades!
We travel in such separate lanes, Andy, and we both inform the other on what we see the other couldn't. You could never see or hear what I saw and heard, rock-wise, in the '60s and '70s, and I know how much you love my filling in those blanks for you. I am so out-of-touch with the music (and its industry) of this century, I love how you color in the picture I'm missing! To cornily paraphrase a popular rom-com of several years ago: We complete us!
This is so cool, Brad, and I’m honoured and humbled you feel that way, because I do too! Goes to show different generations with dissimilar backgrounds can be united in their profound love of music! Thank you, again!
I know this might sound silly, but there is something awesome about ordering direct from an artist, opening the whiplash mailer, and seeing a sticker or handwritten note inside.
I’m 100% with you. I’d rather pay more and receive it a bit later if it means getting it from the artist directly! I mean, I buy directly from those who don’t need it (like Mariah is going to struggle to pay the bills 🤣) but especially from indie/up-and-coming artists for whom I know it will make a big difference!
This is good news and is helping sway my decision whether I want to press some vinyl or not. I think it’s a yes! Next year hopefully.
That's awesome, Britta! And yes, yes, yes! Keep us all posted!
Thanks for the follow, Andres. Big vinyl junky myself (although I’ve moved a lot, back and forth overseas-soooo the pile has had to stay in storage 😮💨). But yes, your post gave me an idea. I am releasing 12 songs this year. One song per month. And if all goes well, in 2025, all will be compiled onto one platter! It’s this morning’s pipe dream, but hey...in the meantime, if your ears can handle digital format for four minutes and thirty-six seconds, here’s Miss January! https://brittapejic.bandcamp.com/track/shes-wrong
Britta, this is awesome. Thanks for the introduction and for sharing your track! (I do listen to digital when on the move). Great track. I particularly liked the harmonies (in the intro and throughout). There’s something very 90s about it which gave me a feel-good vibe instantly. Fab work. You should definitely get your songs pressed onto vinyl!
Thanks so much for listening! This and the other songs to come, were all a long time in the making. I recorded them with a friend in France. Since, they’ve bounced back and forth across the ocean for tweaking and polishing. Now it’s time to let go, Bon Dieu!! Next one up in mid February! 😁
It’s great they are finally seeing the light of day! The production is very smooth. It will sound great on vinyl!! Can’t wait 😊
I hope you do, and please let us know if/when that happens!
😁😎
This is a good summary of the aggregated advice we musicians have been getting from many quarters since a couple years before the pandemic. A couple caveats, tho':
1) For all its appeal, vinyl remains a terrifying upfront expense for all but the most well-financed artists with the most "sure-shot" pre-sale prospects. It also wreaks havoc upon another thing the advisers insist we have: a consistent release schedule. Until manufacturers are more plentiful and more capacious, vinyl remains a dangerous gamble for artists that CDs are not.
2) It's become somewhat fraught these past few years to court and encourage "parasocial " relationships with people who may like your music; and the idea of seeking or creating "superfans" is a bit ethically suspect. Cults abound in many cultural fields, + a certain fatigue with that level of intense marketing interaction is bound to set in somewhat soon. As a musician, I'd much more enjoy having "casual fans"; whose lives my work may make a little bit brighter without demanding the disproportionate spending of their time and attention and agency over aspects of my normal human presence that such parasocial relationships create. Not out of any pose of misanthropy, either; I just respect their lives and milieus as they are, and would rather earn a small pleasant space with my work in those than a larger, more fraught one.
Maybe I'm alone in this wish, but the "superfan" thing seems to lead nowhere good for those who become idol or idolizer.
Thank you and you raise valid points, which in my view are linked: the stance an artist takes on their marketing/relationship with their audience will (among other factors of course) have an impact on the level of success/cashflows for future projects. Vinyl is an investment; supply chains, labour shortages and capacity constraints have altered even the release schedule of some best-selling artists, so I'm not sure if having a consistent release schedule is realistic in the current landscape.
As for whether or not it's ethical to seek or create "super fans", the reality is they have existed for generations (Elvis, Beatles and everything in between). The phenomenon is obviously not new. It will be up to the artist/band to decide what kind of relationship they want to nurture with their audience. What I find particularly interesting (and what drew me to write about this in the first place) is that against a backdrop of plummeting (physical) record sales in favour of record streaming numbers, there are some very loyal fans out there who will not only go to every single show but will also purchase physical records and make a point of doing so from the artist directly (something which a couple of decades ago would not have been as easy, or even feasible, for some artists to facilitate).
I would say that such loyalty is a natural response to how impersonal and exploitative the present music business has become, which is evident to even the consumer.
There's also a social component to following a band that closely, as evidenced by the Phish Army (?) and other "jam bands" that seek to follow in the Dead's footsteps. That aspect seems relatively benign; however, other manifestations of modern parasocial behavior are proving to be less so. That's why one must carefully consider how much and what kind of attention they intend to court. It shouldn't be a "business default" strategy.
I don't entirely agree with your first statement. I prefer not to generalise. Many fans are loyal because they feel the artist or band changed their lives, healed some deep wounds or generally made an extraordinary impact in their lives. There's a lot more to it than we can cover in a few comments, but when someone is at breaking point and doesn't pull the trigger because they found inspiration in a certain band or artist, that's one life saved. I see it a lot in Latin America where I am from, not to mention gay fans in the middle east, for example. Even in the US there is still a lot of homophobia and racial abuse (among other issues, but these are the two main things I see in fan communities I know well, like Mariah fans for example). These are complex social issues which an artist alone should not have to/cannot be expected to fix. But in the meantime, when folks are still, in 2023, being put through hell by their families for being gay, for example, and the only thing they have to hold on to is a bunch of songs from an artist and a fan community they can rely on, that makes a huge difference in some people's lives.
I don't know if certain manifestations of modern parasocial behaviour are worse now than before. It's going to be 43 years since Lennon was murdered by a fan. I think we've come a long way since then. Not saying it's all inoffensive now, but there have been improvements, for example this whole sense of community I see more and more in fanbases nowadays, even across genres.
I listen, eagerly, to all your voice-overs! Partly to convince myself to do more of my own, but also 'cause I dig your voice! The vision of a tiny Andy talking into his speakers is an adorable picture, and I wish I could've been that wonder-filled as a vinyl-spinning '60s tot! Maybe I talked to Bozo's red record on my carry-case record player around 1960 when I was 5! I hope so.
Gotta be honest, dood.....I've never heard of Super Fans or this new trend of DTC. Plus, I haven't been to a live gig in about a decade (Ian Anderson here in Austin, TX), so I don't know from merch tables. I've heard of merch tables at shows, but didn't realize it's leaned on by artists a lot now. And, with the 'Net, a closeness of artists to fans BETTER be happening, or we're not doing it right! And, it's great to see fans using the 'Net and other means to help ensure their cash actually gets to the creator.
Beautiful last paragraph and a clever, heart-warming call-back to your opening!
Thank you, Brad! Glad to hear you enjoy the voice-overs! I very rarely (by which I mean never) go off script (except the occasional chuckle which you can probably kind of hear), but I had to because it took like an hour to get those 3 minutes of clean audio (without phones, doorbells etc. getting in the way!).
Yes, merch stands are everywhere at concerts, of all sorts!
What you say about the net and the exchange between artists and fans: I couldn’t agree more!
Thank you, as always, for your very kind words! When you dig, I know I’m doing something right!
We love your informality in your V.O.s. What you're doing is what those of us who worked in radio had to learn to do....address our audience naturally, warmly, friendly, and relaxed....which you do in spades!
We travel in such separate lanes, Andy, and we both inform the other on what we see the other couldn't. You could never see or hear what I saw and heard, rock-wise, in the '60s and '70s, and I know how much you love my filling in those blanks for you. I am so out-of-touch with the music (and its industry) of this century, I love how you color in the picture I'm missing! To cornily paraphrase a popular rom-com of several years ago: We complete us!
This is so cool, Brad, and I’m honoured and humbled you feel that way, because I do too! Goes to show different generations with dissimilar backgrounds can be united in their profound love of music! Thank you, again!