Radiohead wasn't the first band to try something different with the distribution of their latest album (Chuck D's been at it for quite awhile), but they certainly brought it to the attention of the masses. The sheer audacity of releasing a new album by a multi-platinum selling artist free of charge is more than enough to garner a few headlines in some important newspapers. So now that the flood gates are open, there's a slew of artists trying new angles to get music to their fans. Regardless of how free Radiohead's new album was to us, it definitely cost money to produce it and host it on a server somewhere for schmoes to get at it. That's all well and good for a band that periodically finds fistfuls of cash in their couch cushions, but it unfortunately presents a logistical problem for everyone else.
Jill Sobule, an artist that plucks at an acoustic guitar, doesn't fly on a private jet filled with top-notch hookers and blow. She doesn't have the startup capital to personally fund her new album and release it to her fans on an awful website designed by a first-year art student in a small town community college (pay attention Radiohead). So, she's taken a grass-roots approach to her new album, asking fans to shell out the dough for the recording process. There are varying levels of money to donate, which grant fans different levels of prizes. For a mere $25, you'll get an advance copy of the disc before the rest of us get a crack at it, and for the upper echelon of fandom, you can shell out $25,000 and sing on the record. If you sound like a dying marmoset, she'll let you play cowbell or something.
Here at Tiny Mix Tapes, we're thinking about going the same route to help pay our hosting fees, so we can actually afford such frivolous purchases like soap, or maybe some deodorant. Here's an outline of the different levels of support you can provide Tiny Mix Tapes and the prizes you'll receive:
- $25 - Get your face included in our next boner comic. We'll probably just get somebody to doodle hot splooge on it.
- $50 - Get a promo disc that none of our music reviewers wanted. Probably the new Staind album.
- $100 - Get the promo material that accompanies that Staind album. It's just used toilet paper with "Staind Ruelz" scrawled on it.
- $250 - Get your name included in a news article, with a non-flattering picture of yourself posted above it. Keep in mind I will be writing the article, and I don't like you.
- $500 - Write part of a review. We'll probably just get a quote about how much you hated that new Staind album.
- $1000 - Write a review yourself. Minimum word count will be 3200, and there will be no introductory fluff paragraphs allowed. Also, no track-by-track breakdown. Amateur.
- $2500 - Become editor for the day. All reviews/news/articles/interviews will be e-mailed at 2 AM, with all corrections required by 5 AM. David Nadelle usually doesn't submit his until 4:30 AM.
- $5000 - Hang out with the TMT crew for a day! Hang-out will commence at Mr P's house right after he's done work for the day. He will be unaware of the date, and you are required to bring all the food, booze, drugs, and prostitutes. Mr P likes prostitutes. Especially ones with both parts.
- $10000 - Prevent your face from appearing in our next boner comic. Also, receive an autographed picture of Keith Kawaii's part.
