skip Heller wrote:
and, although we don't see each other as often as we used to, I'm pretty sure we're still pals,
Skip, Absolutely. I'm still waiting for the next time we get to see an NRBQ show together!
But it was based on the fact that some of your best music is issued in -- according to the packaging -- limited edition pressings of 1000
Actually the pressings are in the 3000 to 3500 range and are subject to repressing. The only one that was pressed at 1000 was "One Great Day..." which was in fact a 2nd pressing, (the first run being 2500) and that has now sold out as well.
As for people making/trading CDRs of live broadcasts, the only way you can avoid that is not to do these live broadcasts.
I wasn't so much talking about the trading of the radio broadcasts as the making and trading of tapes made surreptitiously by audience members. I just mentioned the poor sound quality of the radio stuff to point out that the walkman stuff is even worse.
As for your not wanting me or anyone else to rip one of your tunes into a compilation, I'll cease. But I have done it in the past, and to good results. I've personally been responsible for the creation of ten active Eskelin consumers in my neighborhood
Well I do appreciate that. But I have to think that on balance my music can't be that much harder to find than most other folks in this niche. Compilations among friends can be fine and good but as I said before, it's a fine line between that and simply trading CDRs of discs outright. Not that you do that but I know that it happens because people write and tell me so. And so I'm left to guess whether this works for or against me in the end.
(one of them even recently paid about 30 bucks for a copy of SETTING THE STANDARD at one of those collectable jazz sites).
Jeez, that's too bad. He could have gotten from the label, or even directly from me for far less. The internet makes that pretty easy.
My position was that receptive people should hear Ellery Eskelin, and, damn it, I'd play it for 'em.
I think word of mouth is cool. Playing it for them is great. But giving them a digital copy, I start to wonder. It starts down a slippery slope. But jeez, I'm not gonna come after you if I find out you put a cut of mine on a sampler for someone. Hell, maybe I should pay you! I hesitated to even write in about this and I'm wondering now if perhaps I shouldn't have since I really don't want to make too big a deal out of it. Obviously we've all made cassettes for other people at one time or another. And we can each vouch for our own morals and the fact that we've bought a jillion CDs and are otherwise cool. And who knows, maybe for this music the point is moot anyway since I don't think the numbers are ever gonna be so high as to amount to a huge gain or loss for folks like us who are not in the pop field. But on the other hand with these small independents the difference of 500 to 1000 copies bought has an impact. And I have no real way of knowing the net effect of digital trading of my music. But I do know that without my record company I'd be making a hell of a lot less music, live or otherwise. So you'll understand if I raise these questions.
If you really want to stem the tide of this sort of activity, maybe you could post your own mp3s on your website, which would do much to control what of yours is in the digital air.
Point is well taken and I may yet post some selections. I haven't done it yet since it's tough for me to decide what's most representative of our sound. There's no one or two or even three tunes that sum up what we do. That's why I like the presentation of the CDs since it's an integrated package of music, all the elements holding each other together, not just a collection of tunes. Having the entire CD is a much better way to experience it and I think there's a much better chance that folks will like it if they hear the whole presentation. So I present as much info on the web site as I can to interest folks, and make it as easy as possible for them to buy a disc. It's not a ton of money comparative to other endeavors and if they don't like it they can give it to a friend. Beyond that, the best way to recruit new listeners is to bring them to a live show. We've have been playing (me Andrea Parkins & Jim Black) for almost 10 years and this more than anything seems to build an audience. Of course, we can't be everywhere and some places we'll rarely if ever play so that's one of the reasons to make CDs in the first place.
The magazines can give out all the props, but the easiest way for someone to decide if they want to buy some music -- at a time when music is so damn expensive -- is to hear some of it in the first place.
Well, I'd like to think that for an investment of $10 to $20 someone could take a chance on my stuff and wind up digging it. Seems to me that it's never been easier to find and procure music. If anything it's harder to be heard over the din of the crowd. Maybe a little mystery is not such a bad thing. I recall John Zorn telling me that he sold more copies of any particular Tzadik release with no promotion whatsoever as compared to similar labels that did promotion with all the trimmings. So go figure...
Artists/listeners like you and me have less representation in the media than at any other time in the last thirty years
Actually I feel as if it's gotten much better in the last 30 years. There seem to be more magazines than ever, more independent labels than ever and now with the internet it's very easy for folks to pinpoint what they want and get it.
(Did all the circulation of song poem tapes curtail any kind of interest in Rodd?
Why would it curtail interest? I wasn't arguing that dissemination of my work would curtail interest. I'm just concerned about the balance between what might be considered promotional and what might actually work against me.
Ardolino had been sending me tapes with that stuff included for years.
Yes, before they were otherwise available.
Unavoidable bottom line for us all: Self-digitizing is part of the landscape now and it's not going away.
Yes but that doesn't mean that if enough people think it's OK to get my music for free as opposed to paying for it that I'm required to be happy about that. And that potential is there.
If certain members of the audience want to take upon themselves to broaden the audience, that is to be commended, especially if they're getting the message to people who otherwise don't know it exists. I can only be thankful.
Well, I appreciate the feeling behind that. I'm not even trying to contradict you, just offer you what's going on in my mind as I pursue this. I completely understand what you are saying. I simply see a certain amount of gray area here and without a crystal ball we're all at something of a loss. I might not be 100% correct but no one really knows what the hell is going to happen. And it's OK if I turn out to be wrong. Just wanted to share... Thanks Skip EE ================================= ELLeRY ESKELiN/MiCHELLE VAn NaTTA RaMiChElLeRy/PrImE SoUrCe PrOdUcTiOnS http://home.earthlink.net/~eskelin/ =================================