New Marillion album to be free to download

yorkiemarillion wrote: For the person who said they just wanted to try out the music and didnt want to be bombarded with emails from Marillion.  You can do that with the wma file - it has a popup video attached, but you can still hear all the music on your computer.  However you cannot burn the track elsewhere. Only if you like the music, and want a burnable mp3 copy, do you have to repsond to the popup window with your email address - then you can get the album for free in burnable form. I would also note that Marillion do not bombard people with emails - one every couple of mnonths - hell Amazon are much worse!

It's the double.You really can hear the limitations of an MP3 file and sure the actual CD will sound a ton better, but it's passable.

I loaded it up on my iPod and took it on my walk yesterday and am even more psyched about the new album. It was pricey, but SO worth it. Great, great album.

E

I attempted to post the album yesterday and for some reason it wouldn't let me.  Gave up.

By the way I did not have to give up my e-mail address.  Not that I would mind.  I get so much junk in my e-mail (had the address for more years than I can count) it's nice to get junk e-mail you actually like.


Edited by Slartibartfast - September 11 2008 at 16:31

johnobvious wrote: Logan wrote: BigBoss wrote: this is just sad Do you mean that you're sad about Marillion making the album available for free download?  Not good for business.  You guys are getting hit in many ways (from bands making albums available for free, to bands selling albums online directly, to illegitimate downloading etc.).  If things keep up, you're hardly the only one in your biz who risks going from being a big boss to a little bass (as in the fish -- big fish, little fish). What is sad is that the artist is basically saying they can not make money by selling a CD.  They have to resort to pushing ancillary merchandise through mass e-mailings to make a buck (or quid as it were). I see a lot more of this happening.  If it works out for Marillion, then great.  But it can't work for everyone. I'm not a Marillion fan and only own Brave.  I would like to check it out if it is as good as Eric says, but don't know that I want a bunch of Marillion e-mails in my in box.  And if I don't buy the CD, should I feel guilty for downloading and not buying merchandise?

Yes, that is sad.  Bands have been forced to adapt new strategies -- some have fared much better than others in this climate.  With many bands, it is concerts where they make their living, of course.  Even before, many were hard done by as they got a small cut of the record sales (the ones on radio flourished, not just because of publicity that led to record sales, but royalties).  In some ways, things have improved for  bands.  The internet has meant that they could be better-known, and more chance for concerts, and they could sell CDs directly online (or work with distributors like CD Baby which are very fair).  And it has become cheaper to produce quality music for CDs with new technology

It's even harder, though, for companies like BigBoss's to adapt (turn a profit) than many bands these days.  Many middle-men (distributors between the consumer and band) are having a hard time.  BigBoss, of course, took hard measures by going after the bloggers threatening legal action to protect his livelihood.  This is something that bands would be much more reluctant to do as they don't wish to upset the community, or alienate people -- don't want to seem like a big bad bully (public image)  -- note how many bands publicly say that art is more important than commerce and they're just happy that their art is being heard?  I'm sure this is true in quite a few cases, but what band that loves what they do wouldn't like to be able to earn a living at it, thereby being able to devote themselves to their art without having to bus tables or whatever during the day).  And it's not just BigBoss and such people, distributors and record companies, and bands that suffer, but also employees of people such as BigBoss -- yes, the LittlePeople.  Many livelihoods are at stake.  Some embrace the new realities, especially with direct sales of CDs, thinking it will bring down costs, but when it's free people don't want to buy (unless it's free in poor quality).  That said, the buying of mp3s is doing well -- it's affordable, and it's been clear that digital distribution is the way to go for many years (too often that distribution is P2P, and not sales, though).  I thought many years ago that much as it works for TV (advertising pays for the programs) that streaming "radio-on-demand" with ads could help bands.  Choose songs, ads come with it.  Of course such crass commercialism does not lend itself well to art, in a way.

But, as always the bread and butter of a great many bands (well, as always, many bands, even very good ones, can't make a living with music) is concerts (and CD sales at concerts help).  Too many good bands I knew found themselves playing dingy clubs/ bars in return for free beer - but they sure loved their beer, but the music got sloppier the more beer they drank... And so some not only couldn't make money at their craft, but became alcoholic welfare recipients).


Edited by Logan - September 11 2008 at 16:45

I thought it was in Toronto. Anyway, that would require getting The Husband a passport, finding my passport (and hoping it hasn't expired), paying for plane tickets and a hotel, and the tickets themselves... all in all it would cost us over $1000.

I love Marillion, but in order to come up with that kind of money I'd have to make a deal with a crooked lone shark and have my legs broken the day before the show. It'd be much less painful to wait for them to come to a closer venue. And if enough people in major US cities download the new album, they might decide to come to the US in a couple of years.

Since I was on the Marillion website for other things I checked and it is in Montreal, April 3-5.  But either way the same logistics apply. 

Even if they were to expand their fan base and sell more of their back catalog in CD format, would they get any of that money?  Laser's Edge got a bunch of their repressings and have been selling them for 13 or 14 bucks.  I would be interested if the band get a cut. 

Harry Hood wrote: hey might decide to come to the US in a couple of years.

I hope, but wasn't about to take a chance on that. I figure Montreal will be my best chance to see them, so I'm off to meet up with some friends from the old Opium Den forum. 3 shows in 3 days. Now THAT'S cool! I just hope they don't do an all covers show like the last one.

E

johnobvious wrote: Even if they were to expand their fan base and sell more of their back catalog in CD format, would they get any of that money?  Laser's Edge got a bunch of their repressings and have been selling them for 13 or 14 bucks.  I would be interested if the band get a cut.

The band own all the rights to their last 3 albums (Anoraknophobia, Marbles and Somewhere Else), so that would be 100% profit on back catalogue.  They had a record company for the 3 albums before but maintained a major stake in the music.  Their first 8 albums were made with EMI, and so they get less return (although much more return if the fans buy direct from them).

I think the reasons the model may work for Marillion are that

a) they covered their costs with the pre-order
b) they have a big enough back catalogue, which they own quite a large amount of
c) they tour fairly large venues (ca. 1000 covers) and can sell plenty of merchandise

I'll download it just to make sure it's not an insult to Marillion (aka crap), but I'll probably end up buying anyway if it's decent. I hate not having the case and liner notes.