The Real Tuesday Weld
The London Book of the Dead
August 28th, 2007
Six Degrees
London Book of the Dead is a noir dream. When met with heavy eyelids it imagines a world of midnight blacks and Jessica Rabbit reds. It emotes the warmth suffered under the lights of a burlesque stage, and the nostalgic chill of a near empty bar—dimly lit for the sake of confidentiality. A symbiosis of electronic accents and vinyl imperfections, this dose of art and sex isn’t so much conceptual as it is invocative, shuttling between clarinet swing and sampled sound bytes. I can’t help but imagine that Stephen Coates considers himself a fan of Matt Johnson’s eclectic style. Although this should come as no surprise; both men are clearly influenced by the myriad of soundscapes carved from the social soil of the early to mid twentieth century. It is a project that reaches back to an already immortal era to inflict the markings of post-modernity on what some would claim to be the golden age of music. It refuses the paradigmatic egocentricity of generational degeneracy. The jazz/rag era was not the end of history.
London Book of the Dead is medicated schizophrenia. Among the collage of gypsy strings, cabaret, and Brit pop, Coates sometimes sounds as if he is trapped in a Steamboat Willie world, contained by a two-dimensional, cartoonish fantasy. The record’s most manic moments can be uneven and discomfiting. But if the project is properly understood, it reveals a beautiful and sentimental creation that acknowledges the compromises we make against our own character and the distance we are from our idealized life. Self-inflicted wounds are often the rule rather than the exception. The music of London Book is dense and rich with acute attention to detail. The textural mapping of electronic beats over organic instruments is not necessarily the newest approach to music making, but Coates is effective nontheless. While every song on the record may not be appropriate for every mood, every song has its proper context; and in that context it succeeds, sometimes with stunning perfection— often a most gorgeous sedative.
Other Music
At The House Of The Clerkenwell Kid- 2001
I, Lucifer- 2002
Les Aperitifs et Les Digestifs- 2004
The Return of the Clerkenwell Kid- 2005
“Dreams That Money Can Buy”- 2006
At the End of the World- 2008
The Black Ghosts
The Black Ghosts
July 8th 2008
IAMSOUND Records
Theo Keating and Simon Lord formerly of The Wiseguys and Simian are a British duo that has coalesced to form The Black Ghosts, an energetic outfit that seeks to rejuvenate the transatlantic electro-rock scene. The fuzz pulses and snappy beats have a decidedly disco structure that proves independent pop does not have to be relegated to those who feel what has worked on the dance floor for decades must be reformed or reinvented. Pop, no matter the budget and marketing power of its label, can still be easy and pleasurable.
That being said, The Black Ghosts‘ self titled record certainly has moments that resemble various outputs from The Faint, but they have not taken their independence as a requirement to lower the fidelity of their dance tracks. This record will not remind you of anything brought to us via The Rapture. Indeed much more polished influences can be inferred, Prince and Jamiroquai to name a couple. Keating and Lord have entrenched dance pop into a context much more analogous to their new wave predecessors, instead of accentuating the punk roots from which many early 80’s pop acts claim their heritage, and which might have scored them more brownie points with some in the media.
It is worth noting that Blur’s Damon Albarn does guest vocals on Repetition, and that the album is full length, which these days means at least 10 tracks. The record comes out July 8th and is sure to make a good impression on dance floors across New York City. For those who typically enjoy an evening at the discotech, The Black Ghosts are sure to please. If, like me, you traditionally despise such outings, you might still give them a listen, even if only to gauge all the ironic possibilities.
Los Campesinos!
Hold on Now, Youngster…
April 1st 2008
Arts & Crafts
If Kids Incorporated were to return to the pop cultural radar screen, they would blip to the tune of this unabashedly juvenile band. Los Campesinos! are a group of 7 Welsh youths that have generated what could turn out to be the future prototype for indie pop, or their fifteen minutes may have passed so fast that their influence came and went before the record ever hit the shelves. Hold on Now, Youngster… is a collection of high energy multi-instrument explosions that have been in the works for the better part of 2 years. It is without a doubt one of the most saccharine records I have ever heard. But to its credit, Hold on Now, Youngster… induces excellent spirits as well as that ever elusive urge to dance. It is contrived and trite, sung poorly, harmonies and violins out of tune with the shallowest appeal to be described as punk rock. It is like seeing a 3 year old with a Mohawk on the hip of a Prada draped mother. That having been said, perhaps their naivety is their most attractive aspect.
If Kids Incorporated fails to return then Los Campensinos! should seriously consider their own show. The assembled appearance and style found everywhere from their scratched out and then rewritten lyrics in the album art, to the deliberate branding of their name in their music videos. Hell I even received a baggy of mini-pins with their logo all over it when I bought the record. Their lyrics are clever enough and the instrumentation is really interesting. But there is a youth factor that has been to good effect exploited by bands such as Tokyo Police Club and Born Ruffians. However Los Campesinos! have formulized the attitude and spiked it with a little overt Go! Team Britishness, truncating the ultimate appeal of their music. Another exclamation point? Despite of all of this nose thumbing, Los Campesinos! succeeded in making an extraordinarily fun and energetic record, which complicates much of the criticism levied.
Given the breadth of contributors, it is difficult to describe the myriad of styles that reform Martin’s work. What makes this record so excellent is the consistency provided by the base that Jeff Martin has constructed. While nearly every track is laden with electronic beats and celestial atmospherics, the meat of the music is rooted in the organic, natural sounds of the acoustic guitar, banjo, piano, mandolin, violin, and cello. Indeed, most of the tracks are instrumental, flowing into the limbo that is post-rock. A few songs include Jeff Martin’s voice which has a surprising smoky quality that contrasts sharply with the velour texture of the music.
The most outstanding track off the Spoons remix record is its first. Shuttlecock is energetic, voluminous, and expansive. It comes to us remixed by Bristol’s Minotaur Shock from 4AD. The song begins with a beautiful interplay of strings and xylophone, which is then mixed with a syncopated acoustic guitar riff, a clarinet, and brass. As Shuttlecock accelerates and builds, it perfectly exemplifies the beauty that electronic/organic fusion achieves; the fast paced beats layer the spaces between the chimes of a dozen other rhythms; it increases in velocity, but remains measured and deliberate. This track is simply ridiculous.
Spoons: RCI has many other gems as well. Strange for a Tuner by Chequerboard is sequenced perfectly. Balancing Act by Decal has a latent retro 80s structure that becomes fully born as the track concludes. Some tracks lack many of the electronic elements that are so prevalent throughout the record. Plays Music by Mice Parade and the impassioned Augustine by the Dublin Guitar Quartet are both gorgeous instrumentals. For those of you who love multi-instrumentalists like Sufjan Stevens and Tortoise, the beats of the Album Leaf, or even if you are a listener of the more ambient songs from God Speed You Black Emperor, Spoons: A Collection of Remixes, Collaborations, and Interpretations is a perfect addition to an ever growing and diversifying, nameless genre that flees moment to moment and movement to movement, renegotiating our expectations of complexity and simplicity, tonal dialectics and the subtlety of repetition.
The Duke Spirit
Neptune
February 4th 2008
Shangri-La
This British five-piece has influences from all over the place, but their special spark endows their music with a sort of badass fascism. The Duke Spirit’s Neptune is tinged with retro late 80’s/early 90′s British invasion guitar riffs and is speckled with the occasional My Bloody Valentine noise wall and Jesus and Mary Chain backbeat. Even so, their subtle homage does nothing to discount their definition amongst the myriad of chick fronted car wrecks that have plagued so-called indie rock bands for a while now. First off Liela Moss’ voice has a seductive working class quality. She sings about love and loss with equal commitment. But this ain’t no one lady show. The fuzz bass and crunchy guitar make their style incredibly voluminous, cradling Moss’ words. Each part does not compete with the other. The strong personalities within the band do not self destruct.
“When nothing’s fluid, you drink yourself through it”
The solidarity in purpose that The Duke Spirit displays is however tempered and relegated by their inability to transgress multiple contexts. I can’t complain, but what else are they good for besides a good time? At times Liela Moss sounds like Sheila Nicholls with thigh-highs and a neat whiskey. Fortunately, even with all the abundant emotion, The Duke Spirit never attempts to be deeper than an afterthought. Neptune describes a life where two weeks is a million years and problems last only as long as you are consciously able to think them through. This band has toured relentlessly and certainly deserves attention. The Duke Spirit might however be doomed to burn out before they fade away or even worse to transform from an exciting fascination to that drunken bitch that never leaves you alone. But I’ll love them for now.
Other Music
Darling You’re Mean EP- 2003
Roll, Spirit, Roll EP- 2003
Relieve the Distressed EP- 2005
Cuts Across the Land- 2005
Covered in Love EP- 2006
Ex-Voto EP- 2007
Tour
May 7th 2008 @ Conan O’Brien- New York, NY
May 8th 2008 @ Crystal Ballroom- Portland, Oregon
May 10th 2008 @ The Troubadour- Los Angeles More Dates on Myspace
After lengthy discussion and little in the way of certitudes, we know that The Tuss is from England, is on Rephlex, and is very good. Plenty of people from We are the Music Makers, a site dedicated to acid electronica innovators like Richard D. James and Square Pusher, have their opinion as to who The Tuss actually is, and I have certainly had my thoughts on the matter. As I concluded in my article about The Tuss Cult, no matter who The Tuss is, the music deserves to be evaluated on its own merits, rather than some supposed or implied association with a master programmer.
The Confederation Trough EP was actually harder to get than I anticipated. I finally found a copy at Other Music in Manhattan. I noticed that they filed the EP under “Miscellaneous T” instead of Aphex Twin as they had earlier. I am not sure if this speaks to Other Music’s changed opinion on the matter, either way RDJ and Brian Tregaskin both be damned.
Confederation Trough is a great supplement to Rushup Edge, a Tuss LP also released in 2007, but it by no means matches it. Rushup Edge made many top 10 lists last year including Frederick Foxtrott’s with Rushup I Bank 12 serving as a perfect example of its greatness. There is nothing on Confederation Trough that is as smart or intense as what is offered on the LP follow up. The beats are danceable and quasi-accessible enough, but it is a softer, smoother collection more reminiscent of Aphex Twin’s earlier ambient work and his later Analord series.
Being that the collection is rather straight forward, it acts as a prelude to what would soon be released on Rushup Edge. As I mentioned, Confederation Trough is hard to find and can be a bit expensive, costing $10+ for three songs. Fredugolon 6, Alspacka, and Gxi Solo may seem too mundane for those out there who love brainy acid, but they are good tracks that will have an easy time finding their way on to your play list.
Other Records as Other People Aphex Twin
Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (1992)
Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994)
I Care Because You Do (1995)
Richard D. James (1996)
Come to Daddy (1997)
Windowlicker (1999)
Drukqs (2001)
Analord 10 (2005)
Chosen Lords (2006)
After a decade-long hiatus, Portishead will release their third record in late April. I was very glad to have had the chance to listen to their new material. At first I wasn’t won over. I went back and listened to 1994’s Dummy and 1997’s self-titled release to contrast where this band has come from with where they are going. It occurred to me that when everyone was listing to Portishead in the States back in 96-97, the band bridged many genres. Their fan base was rooted in so called trip-hop, but had cross-overs from house, goth-industrial, psychedelia, hip-hop, fem-rock, and of course the precocious indie-kid prototypes. You had Alanis Morissette lovers coolly bobbing their head to the beat while standing next to dudes named Wraith with eyeliner and facial tattoos. Portishead had cast a wide net when attracting fans.
When speaking of Portishead, suits working in Manhattan have exclaimed, “Ah yeah, I remember them. I love them.” When listening to their new genre bending concoction Third, remember their predicament in reclaiming an audience. Fond memories aside, can Portishead produce anything relevant to reverse their fans’ genre dispersal or attract new listeners who may not have been around for their first two records? Portishead has answered with a resounding yes.
Third opens with a series of tracks that remind us of their dark experimental heritage. Silence, Hunter, and Nylon Smile are in the best sense traditional Portishead, albeit without the emphasized vinyl mixing. No where on this record will you find the turntable scratching of Western Eyes or Only You. Clearly Portishead is not trying to recapture elements of their past. The lyrics are depressed and relaxed, sexy and sad, and in true form this relaxation is not brought on by contentment or happiness, rather it sounds opiate induced. It conjures the image of a dim room with the yellow haze of a poppy parlor. Hunter would be a great song to accompany the opening credits of a modern 007 film.
Rip begins the next series of songs on the record that emphatically asserts Portishead’s attention to modern music trends. A simple acoustic guitar track transforms and builds into a song layered by Nintendo quality synthetic melodies and a straightforward beat. Plastic follows, reintroducing their DJ aspect, but with a decidedly electronic component. The beat and melody line from We Carry On oddly enough seems like something right out of Trent Reznor’s library. Not to suggest that they have become derivative or unoriginal. Conversely, this only highlights the changes in texture and instrumentation that Portishead have made. The series ends with a beautiful track called Deep Water that lasts all of 1:39. It is the musical antithesis of what has come to be expected from Portishead, yet it strongly maintains their aura with the sensuous voice of Beth Gibbons, a ukulele, and the faint backup vocals that hum like a distant steam engine whistle.
Portishead has made an exceptional record that is unconstrained. Earlier records attracted a large following utilizing a relatively consistent and unique formula. Portishead was Portishead. As mentioned earlier, they attracted listeners from a variety of musical subgroups, but they operated within a fairly rigid structure that defined their unique style. Ten years later they have offered a record that is unabashedly multifocal and multimodal. Look out for juxtapositions like the industrial electronics of Machine Gun and the psychedelia of Small, two songs from the latter half of the record. It is this exhibition of range that makes their new music so sweet. Portishead has engaged their audiences outside of their standard form without pandering or over extending their vast talent.
I’ve never claimed to be a super-sleuth, although I suppose I believed I had gotten to the bottom of the whole Tuss mystery. The identity of The Tuss was fun to think about for a while, but over the last day or so I have decided it has become a bit too much for me. I never claimed to be an electronica expert and I’ll have you know that I am content to leave some things unknown. The identity of The Tuss has lost its mystery and appeal, not because the music is no good, but because the secret is being kept with an oddness that repels further investigation. I have decided that the intention of a hoax to mislead can be every bit as powerful as apparent facts are when trying to uncover the truth.
Frederick Foxtrott received a record for review by an artist named Fluorescent Grey, the name used by electronica producer Robbie Martin of Record Label Records. I was and still am very excited to review the disc. I had listened to some of Fluorescent Grey’s music and found it to be superbish. Others on the label were equally as talented. As I browsed through the album art I noticed something strange. Mr. Martin thanked a certain William Reid Dunn in the credits. Pausing to contemplate the moment of familiarity, I suddenly remembered that I knew this name. I remembered it from my research for the article The Tuss- For Real Aphex Twin? The “Band Member” section of Brian Tregaskin’s Myspace page lists Reid William Dunn and Robbie Martin as members of The Tuss. Clearly this Myspace page is a hoax and its dubious appearance begins a domino chain as one fact clicks and thuds onto the next, making the orchestrated nature of this whole fiasco just a bit more obvious.
When the name William Reid Dunn is Googled, the search reports an obscure page from Last*fm that reveals that W. R. Dunn uses the stage handle Wisp. On Myspace, this handle is used by an experimental electronica artist from Niagara Falls who calls himself Lord British. Listed among Wisp’s friends is none other than Fluorescent Grey, also known as Robbie Martin. At this point I became disillusioned at the prospect of ever knowing the truth. Little did I know I was only at the tip of a very large and disastrous iceberg. There are so many people who are involved in the hoax. How such a coordinated effort could go on unchecked is beyond me.
Update: Wisp, aka Lich, aka W.R. Dunn, aka Lord British will be releasing some work on Rephlex Records.
This Tussian cult has several Myspace pages associated with it. Some believe that the real Rephlexbacked page is hidden among them. Others believe that they are all false. I am inclined to believe the latter prospect. I’ll examine a few pages claiming to be associated with The Tuss so that some of the dots can begin to be connected. It is worth noting that all these pages have or at one time had music on them. The tracks on the pages have a definite AFX/Tuss style and could be considered by some, including me, to be very good. So the individuals behind the faux websites are talented in more ways than one.
As mentioned earlier, the first page labeled “briantregaskin” lists Robbie Martin and Reid William Dunn as band members of The Tuss along with Richard D. James, and both Brian and KarenTregaskin. Karen is listed as the writer and producer of the material on the actual CD titled Rushup Edge. In the “Friend” section of the page, Fluorescent Grey is listed as a top friend. In fact, he is the second friend listed in the section. In the “Influences” section, it lists Ghostbusters III as a favorite movie. Notably, Robbie Martin released a disc called Ghos Busters III in 2007 on Record Label Records.
While the “briantrageskin” page has been deleted, the “briantregaksin” page is still around. This is a mock Brian Tregaskin page with very good electronic-phonics. Humor seems to be a important aspect to The Tuss cult pages. Instead of Rushup Edge or Confederated Trough, this site lists the record names as Rushup Hedge, Pushup Egg, Mushup Reg, and Confederated Turf, with a song titled Deaf Fuck instead of Death Fuck. In a Q&A session threaded in his blog space, the hoaxter acknowledges having many Myspace pages with many aliases. His friends include both the original Tuss and Brian Tregaskin Myspace pages, both of which are clearly involved with Robbie Martin and W. R. Dunn.
“karentregaskin” is the URL for a beat layer Neil from Aurora Records. This is the first time we see another label other than Rephlex get involved. At this point it should be noted how many friends all these websites share. I would guess that these pages share a good 20% of their friend lists with one another. It is strange that the handle of this site is Neil, when it was clearly created as a hoax Karen Tregaskin page. While the artist on the page does not pretend to be Tregaskin, the pictures are of women and the comments left and accepted by the site’s host are often addressed to Karen or AFX. Neil is also friends with an artist named Brian Krapowski who is also on Aurora, both of whom are friends with Fluorescent Grey aka Robbie Martin of Record Label Records.
It goes on and on like this; loose connections waver in substantiality. Another Tuss music page, “thetussmusic,” makes a more concerted effort to convince the skeptic of its authenticity. The format is very similar to Rephlex’s home page. It is very minimal with a black background and neon green lettering. Although it is strange that Rephlex is a British label and yet its homepage ends in .com. On The Tuss Myspace page, there are no blogs with Q&A sessions or cutely rhymed song titles. In fact, authentic Rephlex labelmates like D’Arcangelo are top friends. This Tuss site is also friends with acid pioneer Mike Dred as well asAurora Records, home to Neil, Brian Krapowski, and others.
Although this Tuss site has all the looks of a real Rephlex publication, the tracks on the site, while amazing, are not tracks released on any record by The Tuss. The presence of the electronica artist named FaultyDL from New York City also bothers me, as he appears on multiple websites involved with this hoax and he comments on Robbie Martin‘s music page. The other Tuss website “cat189” is obviously referencing Rephlex Catalogue Number 189. This is the Rephlex catalog number for Rushup Edge. This Tuss music page is also friends with the likes of Rephlex labelmates D’Arcangelo, Aurora programmer Brian Krapowski, and notably with Mike Dred. It is perhaps the most authentic looking of the group, except the telling Q&A session in the blog space.
The Tregaskin family is represented by more than just Brian and Karen. Patskin or Pat has his own music page on Myspace listed as “patregaskin” in the URL. The good music and familiar friends are characteristic of the Tussian cult. This page really exemplifies the redundancy of the hoax. On the other hand, the music page “thepussfuss” is delightfully twisted. The Tuss becomes a play on words as a Cornish Tuss (cock) needs a Puss(y). Brian Tregaskin becomes Brian Treforeskin and song titles reflect the absurdity of the hoax of The Tuss’ identity. Of course the usual suspects are befriended by the parody. Found in The Puss’ friend pages are FaltyDL, who is regularly featured on other Tuss/ Tregaskin pages, Robbie Martin, alias Fluorescent Grey himself, and Wisp, also known as the beloved William Reid Dunn.
It is clear to me that all of these pages are a hoax. It does not surprise me to know that Robbie Martin is involved. Martin released a fake Autechre album in 2005 that he says was “spread so successfully that Sean Booth was asked about it in an interview.” He even sports a “PRANKOGRAPHY” section on his Myspace page where he recounts all his practical jokes. What is different with The Tuss as opposed to Autechre is that we have no one to question or confront. Only surrogates and Myspace pages presume to speak for the artists. The media hasn’t interviewed Brian or Karen Tregaskin to confirm or deny anything, and representatives from Rephlex aren’t making anything clearer. All they do is deny Richard D. James’ involvement in The Tuss, and then confirm that the Tregaskins are the real artists. If Robbie Martin and friends are the hoaxters then why doesn’t Rephlex dismiss them directly?
Brian Tregaskin was said to be discovered after an exhaustive talent search on Myspace, yet all the Myspace accounts for The Tuss and their affiliates seem to be fake. If The Tuss hoax is driven by people living in Santa Cruz California, Niagra Falls, and New York City then why doesn’t Rephlex have anything to say? After finding Dunn’s name in a CD that was sent to me because of Frederick Foxtrott’s Tuss coverage, I think that this should have been obvious all along. I am probably the last person to connect some of these dots. Like I said, I am not a super-sleuth.
But something strikes me as odd when very talented artists from Record Label Records and Aurora Records perpetuate a band into obscurity. The strangest part is that nearly all the tracks on all these false pages are excellent. Robbie Martin is excellent, so are the yahoos from Aurora, whose music page uses the same black/green format as The Tuss‘ and Rephlex‘s home page. No matter the identity of The Tuss, I think that Rushup Edge was one of the best records released in 2007. Without a doubt it is one of the most intricate and smart electronic albums I have heard in quite a while.
I still have my convictions about the identity of The Tuss. I don’t think the Tregaskins exist, not as people anyway. Richard D. James released 41 tracks on Rephlex from the Analord series and a condensed CD called Chosen Lord on a label that he started in the early 90’s. He has released records under different names in the past and it seems as if he has done it again. The Tuss called their record Rushup Edge after a ridge in the Derbyshire Peak district in England. The highest point of Rushup Edge is Lord’s Seat. This fascination with the word Lord is not particular to AFX though. As mentioned before William Reid Dunn, also calls himself Lord British. Fluorescent Grey has a labelmate named Brian English, which reminds me of Brian Krapowski, and of course Brian Tregaskin. I suppose any number of things could be true. Robbie Martin gets off on hoaxes. I suppose I like to talk about them. But any investigation is meaningless when Rephlex and the band themselves do not see fit to substantively set the media straight. It is made meaningless when disinformation is spread so thick throughout the community of listeners that it is impossible to make sense of anything. No matter what facts are known, no order can be discerned. This was truly a marvelous experiment.
Rushup Edge is an album without an author.
It is a record without association or baggage.
I suppose Richard D. James would have it kept that way.
British Sea Power
Open Season
April 4th 2005
Rough Trade Records
So this will be a rare one-paragraph review. I know that is short, but I have other things to do…like delete the album I am about to review from my media player. I was at Sound Fix Records buying my regular Tuesday’s dose of music when I came across Open Season by Brighton based British Sea Power. I was happy with the price and with the CMJ marathon impending, I added it to my stack. What a mistake. Nearly every song on Open Season seems contrived and is entirely too accessible. I have trouble understanding what aspect of the band has appealed to the hip masses across Britain and the States. Victorian Ice has some style. It is tinged with an American-Midwestern beat and reminds me of when I drank moonshine at dusk on my porch in the summer while the cicadas buzzed and the lightning bugs swarmed. For that I am thankful. It’s just that I had to wait through some of the most ill-conceived pop songs ever recorded before my nostalgia was triggered. As for the rest of the CD, just because someone shamelessly lifts the melody from the verse of Love Will Tear Us Apart and inserts it into synthed-over distortion it does not make them post-punk.
Okay, maybe another paragraph. I am a fan of layers, textures and orchestrations, but British Sea Power’s add-ons don’t mask the underlying problem. Scott Wilkinson‘s vocals are boring, lifeless, and uninspired. What’s worse is that the lyrics sound as if they were written by the Charmin Teddy Bear on a binge of ketamine and Pop-Rocks. Some of the more positive reviews circulating must be either well paid or part of an international conspiracy to leech trouble making youths of their sub-culturally subversive spirit. What ever the case it is clear that they did not deserve to headline the World’s Fair curated showcase for CMJ at the Bowery Ballroom. In all reality I am convinced that it’s a joke. I mean, I think that this whole bit is supposed to be ironic…a farce. Sure they sound like Journey, The Cure, Joy Division and Morrissey all rolled up into one…No, really…
I don’t owe Radiohead anything. However, I am compelled to respond to the ridiculous claims made by various media publications concerning the ethics of Radiohead’s digital release of In Rainbows. This article by USA Today suggests that Radiohead was dishonest in that they did not disclose that the current release was an MP3 of lower quality than the inevitable physical copy or the “standard MP3.” At only 160 kbps for God’s sake!
People are upset because Radiohead not only gets the money from the sales of the CD and Discbox, but they also get payed for their online release. Hmmm…I am not quite sure where the dilemma is on this one. I am an avid CD shopper. When I tell people this they say, “Wow…You still have CDs,” and I mean a lot of people say this to me. The people who want to have the music now can. The people who want to wait can, or they can pay nothing now and still get the CD (legally or illegally). Look in your collection and be honest. How many burned discs do you have? How long have you gone without paying for music? People seem to have forgotten that music producers owe us nothing, and we owe them nothing.
Fred Mills of HARP online makes the astute point, “Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood essentially stated the other day that it was never Radiohead’s intention to initiate some revolutionary new model of music distribution (labels have been selling downloads for some time, duh) or even to give away its music as part of some elaborate marketing scheme, but simply to prevent it from leaking out to the public prior to the official release of the physical discbox.”
These news articles and blogs have created a false problem. It was well known that a CD was to be released after the download date and that it was of inferior quality.
“Next up, the January release: How do you release an album online, let people pay what they want for it and then a few days later mention that you will be selling the official album in January? Radiohead is in for a double payday with this. As I said, shady.”
If people would have been paying attention they might not be so upset.
“Okay people! Take a couple deep breaths, count to 10, switch the caps lock off, clean up the triple espresso you just spit all over the computer screen, and check this: that new Radiohead album, In Rainbows? The one that the world knew practically zilch about 24 hours ago? The one that drops digitally (DRM-free, no less!) in nine days, for a price of your own choosing? The one that’s also coming out in a deluxe “discbox” in December? Well, it’s also coming out in good, old fashioned CD format early next year.”
And that was written October 1st, 2007!
Also consider the fact that Mr. Edge’s controversial comments about the intent of the download were made the week prior to the release of In Rainbows. He said, “If we didn’t believe that when people hear the music they will want to buy the CD, then we wouldn’t do what we are doing.” This is troubling for bloggers who claim they were duped into buying a free record, only to hear that a CD was on the way after the fact. Radiohead knew their record would be leaked, burned, and distributed by November, so they stayed ahead of the game.
If you truly believe this was a scheme set to maximize profits, you are missing the point. Anyone who complains that Radiohead is getting a “double payday” has bought into a fictitious controversy.
Good luck with that people.
I’ll be listening to Reckoner.
