Since we have two really creative and innovative types in our band (Claire and Charlie), we’re always thinking of new ways to expand our audience and get our music heard. Well, really, it’s more like some of us are always thinking of it, while the other contents herself with reading tabloids and celebrity gossip websites (no shame!).
Today is a surprising turn of events, I was reading something online with some substance. I stumbled upon an article in a semi-reputable magazine that talks about cultural trends towards “freeness.” I thought that it was interesting since we talk about that a lot in our practice room and band business meetings, specifically the trends towards “freeness” with digital downloads of music (whether they‘re legitimately free or illegally pirated downloads). In fact, finding a way to creatively keep up with the trend is one of the main motivators behind our Single Revolution experiment. In talking about “freeness” the article says:
In terms of music, it means that bands might give music away for free (Radiohead!) in hopes of creating new fans and reaching more people who will one day attend a concert or (gasp!) buy an album. It’s about creating a relationship with the audience, tapping into the collaborative spirit of the networked age and recognizing that music (and other cultural work) was never intended to be a commodity that lived primarily in the transactional, economic space between producer and consumer. On the contrary, culture has always been firmly rooted in community and a shared sense of understanding and making meaning together.
So, anyway, I thought that this was cool and I wanted to share.
Every time I explain the Single Revolution from stage, I take far too much time and get all bogged down talking about “touchy-feely” things like relationship and fostering community. Really, I’m not sure that I’m willing to or even need to apologize for that (the touchy-feely part… not the taking too much time talking between songs, because I’m really working on that) because I do think that part of what makes the whole system of musical creator and musical participant function appropriately and efficiently is that both parties do their part. And ultimately, without the musical participant finding meaning in it and buying into the vision cast by song, then the musical creator hasn’t really created anything worthwhile in the first place. We have to find it together. Seriously. I’m not just being “touchy-feely” right now. And, I totally haven’t been drinking… yet.
I guess that’s what the coolest part of the Single Revolution is to me. We make the stuff, but this is the test for us… to see if what we create is really something that resonates with people. Did we make something that people are willing to be a part of? Is it good enough to entice them to suspend their reality and get swept away in the story? Is our piece good enough to hold its own in this cycle? So far it’s worked and people have been incredibly supportive, which is affirming, encouraging and exciting. We have just a few more of the third single in the Revolution left, “Alive Again,” and we’re hoping to have them sold out so that we might release the next one next week weekend at our Warehouse show with the Soft Targets. We’ll see. Again, it’s an interesting experiment… we’ve been pleased so far with our results and hope that through it, we will learn more about the symbiosis between the band and the fans.
And… in other news, I’m going to see Where the Wild Things Are tomorrow and I’m so excited about it, I’m not sure that I’ll be able to sleep tonight!
And… in other news, we added a new member to my nuclear family this week. Sarah Mac Band family, meet Ruby.
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