I'm finally launching the subscription-based idea of supporting the music, like I've been talking about for years now. It's just been so hard to find time, with so many things crying for attention, all important.. often more important. This is a pilot program, and only time will tell if it works out. But this project is supposed to help me with one big problem by getting some firm economic foundations to work from, balance the uncertainty and uneven nature of performing. I have to get it rolling to see where it goes, though, if anywhere. I like to do things, not talk about them, too. I find it frustrating really, since I can't do everything I can invision, of course. I have done and continue to do a lot, slowly getting many new projects in-line and this is one of them. A new evolution of a traditional economic model for supporting the music, while make it a model that expresses and adheres to my principles as well.
This is one of the big priorities for 2002, to get this major project in the air and flying. SO! we are lifting off! Back in October of 2001, on my way back from Alaska (see the ARCHIVE), I stopped in Calgary to visit TheRealWaldo at NoWhereRadio.com. One of the main topics was this project, and whether he wanted to host the serverside as part of Nowhere. He agreed to do it, and planned to launch in 2002 for the first year. After New Years I got the initial announcement pages up here on my site, then went off to deal with the winter season. By the time I got back, Waldo was ready tyo implement the server side, and today, July 19th, 2002; I became the first artist to sign up for the Patrons of the Artist" program at Nowhere Radio!
The big question is: what am I talking about? I've got a page called Introducing Patrons of the Artistsdescribing the principles and practical mechanics of the system. As well as my own to show what I am offering potential Patrons, a reciprocal page to the sign-up and e-payment enabled page on Nowhere, and as the first artist in the system, a example for other artists. But it is the real thing. People can now register and join via the link on that page to the e-commerce enabled sign-up page on Nowhere. It is a happenin' thing!
But for the here and now, how does that sound, in principle and practice? How does it look as a page layout? I'm still working on that, and the logo. Any feedback? A big question for me is what other people thinkof the idea, while it is still in the formative "beta" stage. I really am also trying to establish a two way communication here, and be guided by the feedback from my friends and supporters.. my Patrons! Fact is, I'm not even sure what I should call it, so what do you think of the name? There need to be a name for the entire system, "Patrons of the Artists" that equates easily into an individual name.. like "(artistname's) Patrons" or "Patrons of the Artist - (artistname) -"
I am asking for feedback. I still sometimes wonder if this idea is really good, really practical and useful. People tell me it is a great idea, but the world is paved with great ideas, crushed underfoot. It seemed like a good idea when I first had it, and then I let it kick around a couple years to see if it lasted inside my head. I think other people must have tried it as well. Though I haven't heard of it set up as a host-based network and service. It seems it must be limited to obscure DIYers like me, if it is being done, the way I thought of doing it myself, at first. I really am trying to express an entirelt different way of looking at how artists are supported and recordings made, something that works for artists, not the corporations, and for diversity, not mainstreaming. I see it as a way to guarantee I can have the money to devote a serious amount of tme each year to recording and producing new material, knowing I have the money to pay for the production as well. I see it as known number of guaranteed CD sales I can count on tosubsidize the initial costs of production, and ensure I am able to put out a CD every year, now that I have the gear, as well as a good number of non-production CDRs just for my Patrons, but processing some of the live, jam, and "off the project list" studio tracks I gather each year. I just don't have the time and energy and funds to tour and to record and produce a new CD every year. I don't even know if I can keep on touring so steady and exyensively, yet a Patron system would allow someone to keep up with my music, even if I stop travelling so much, and instead focus a sincere effort on making and producing recordings. This system would mean I could afford and not only justify, but be obligated, to take the time and money to record at least one CD a year, and publish live and jam CDs, and procedd the video footage for VHS tape as well, and DVD eventually I assume. And it wouldn't be a problem. I'd still have the extra production CDs, or even the whole selection, to distribute directly as I played, like I do now, but giving people the option of getting a year's subscription, including all the year's CDs and video. I really want to give people a lot for what it costs. To me, its not about making a lot of money, but of having the funds, and the encouragement and motivation, to produce a lot of finished recordings, that will be my "reward".
This year is also pivitol because I'm planning on putting out a new CD this year, the highest priority really. But if I use it to help launch the PA system, I'm hoping it won't be another 5 years before I get out another. This is what I envision as a "guaranteed" system to provide regular CDs/VHS for the people who want them, even if I don't or can't keep touring and distributing the cds in person. I have a hard time coming to grips with the money thing, and I guess this just faces the issue dead on. I have to accept that people do like my music, and want me to keep making music, and making recordings. That is what has supported me all my life, the people. The question is whether they will accept doing it in this way. Maybe it's the logical extension of the donation basis on which I've always played and distributed recordings on the street, and being supported by the cummulative donations of hundreds and thousands of people; instead of chasing the dreams and fantasies of record deals, high-paying gigs, and the rest. This recognizes the relationship, formalizes it, gives it structure and guarantees, while essentially accomplishing the same result in the end. In fact, giving me more time and energy to do more with the music; recording, developing the electric dulci, and touring; and take it all further.
If the other pages don't give you a good enough idea, here's all the original ramble I had on the idea, updated to the present state of the concept. From nuts and botls to dreams of what might be and could be, you'll find it here.
Basic Description:
People join in supporting an Artist's work through an annual subscription. The Artist provides a content stream to his subscribers. Set it up as a template system to serve multiple artists, though each with seperate support group, but reducing individual costs by sharing resources. It is essentially a simple system, similiar to a magazine subscription.
Basic Principles:
Patrons aren't buying a product, they are supporting the artist, in whatever they do... performing, recording, having a life. It's up to the Patron, and the artist, what this means. This system recognizes that being an artist is more than making CDs, or performing, or in general making a marketable product. It recognizes that buying CDs is really supposed to be about supporting artists, even if it now mostly supports big corporations using artists. The ones left out in this scheme are, you're right, the big corporate "record companies".
While not a requirement, my personal vision of the basic scenario is that Patrons recieve a copy of whatever the artist can produce, most likely a CD, but video is a possibility as well, or graphic art, or sculpture, or anything really. But they are subscribing on an annual basis, and supporting the artist's efforts, whatever they are; not buying a specific product, or any product. This allows a great flexibility. You could suppose an artist who produces nothing but does free performances in hospitals for kids, and their patrons support this and expect nothing else. If they aren't satisfied, then they don't have to renew. Each artist has to define what it is they plan to do for their Patrons in return for their support, that will make them wish to renew their support the next year. It really is about a connection and communication between Artists and their supporters. A real turnaround on the present status quo of an artist having to producing a "product" suitable for mass marketing by the commercial entertainment/media megacorporations.
This is not an "internet business", and its not focused on trying to sell or deliver product over the net. It is designed to work the same for someone on the web as someone off the web. It is really more like a magazine, or a mail-order business, where a physical product is delivered by mail. The internet comes in as a communication tool, allowing an easier and most likely more extensive communication between Patron and Artist, replacing mail as the primary means. It also designed to let the Artist manage their content stream though the web.
The idea is to approach very differently from the product/marketing driven record industry. I want to make a system that gets music to the people who want it, with as few "middle men" profiteering off the exchange and making art and artist subsidiary to marketing principles. The industry also makes a barrier between the audience and the artist, hiding the artist behind an "image" and depersonalizing the experience. I want a system that presents the artist honestly, as what and who they are, a whole person. I also want it to allow the artist and the people who like their music to be able to communicate, person to person, away from the star-worship marketing of hollywood.
Finally I want a system that works to support artists, lots of artists, not just a few who can sell millions of records. I allways think in terms of my "hypothetical obscure artist" who has only a 500 to 1000 potential fans world-wide (I won't even suggest what that might be). Yet even with a low subscription rate of say $20/year, this artist would have enough capital to produce a recording and distribute it to their patrons each year, and be able to devote serious time and money to the effort . Mission accomplished. If a artist could accumulate just a few thousand fans they would be free to focus on producing recordings, touring, performing, practicing, and whatever made up their artistic life and efforts, and satisfied their patrons; while actually "making a living" beyond the costs or production, maybe a decent one. I want a system that can put a solid foundation under even obscure and "non-popular"(?) artists, and potentially allow artists who can developing even a moderate number of patrons a secure and successful economic success outside the limited lottery of record and production companies and concert venues.
Nuts and Bolts:
I see myself producing at least one and possibly two production CDs a year to send to my patrons, and two or three CDRs I produce myself, and a VHS tape as well. Eventually I'll be able to produce DVDs once the price of production, particularly the media, drops. It si getting close to the cost of VHS already, so I expect to go in that direction. But I still want to serve those without computers as well as those with them. With the idea of an ongoing relationship and that my patrons are supporting me as an artist, and that they can actually register threr preferences when they subscribe and change them if they say, switch from a VCR to a DVD player. I can eventually place things temporarily on-line in a password protected priviledged area, when and if that becomes avaiailable. I see myself using polls, and even using it to post temporary mp3s live "snapshots" and work in progress for comments, to see what people want, then doing it. Like putting out e-mail newsletters, sometimes I'll have time and internet access to do so, and sometimes I won't. The lounge actually seems more usefil when I can maintain it daily, while I am working in the studio. I can report on all the free shows I do in schools and senior centers, and all my efforts in general; because these are the other things which my patrons are also supporting, and share the credit for. People can subscribe on an annual basis and I'll mail them what I produce through the year, as I produce it. In return, I have at least the basic funds to make it happen for sure, even though I have to take time off from performing to do it. I'll be able to stop being on the road all the time, and focus more of my energy on producing music and video, and other projects, as well as keep touring the rest of the time.
The transaction itself is simple. Waldo will handle the internet and possibly phone-in payments at nowhere, but the entire system can function without the internet, like any magazine. Patrons are entered into a database that in turn supplies the addresses for mailings, newsletters or Cds, etc, and annual renewal notices. Waldo can cover the overhead for 5% + $1 of a each subscription/transaction, and I think I can handle all the production and shipping costs for a subscroption rate of $20 year. Since the system is flexible, and I can communicate with my patrons and get feedback, I can always produce less if I have to, or increse the subscription rate if my patrons prefer that option, of even make a teored system, charging a higher rate that includes say DVDs, and a lower rate that doesn't. There's a few details to work out, but there is time and we are just starting out.. Yet that's the reason to roll, to see what works, and doesn't, and what else we need to make it work.
This brings us to Nowhere's role as a producer/coordinator/facilitator and service provider. As the system expands, Nowhere might be able to expand its serves. He already has on demand CDRs. While I think I'll set up my own small run duplicator/CD printer so I have copies I can distribute as well. Though he might be ablew to set up services that could really help if I actually got more patrons than I could handle.. if I did, I could afford to pay for services to help, and Nowhere would be the best positioned to coordinate those serves and integrate them into the system.. whether short run CDs or postal mailings to cover those without e-mail.
I'm a dedicated DIY artist myself. But I can see where for others, or for me if the load got to big (I want to concentrate on the art, not the products of it), Nowhere could help a lot expanding into providing optional add-on services, and provide more support for Nowhere. It is a matter of artist choice, and if the numbers of subscribers overwhelms DIY levels, it also pays for outservices.
So, the dream is now a reality, and w'ell see where it leads in the next year or two,. With my juggling so many things, nothing moves fast. That's just the way it goes, and I look at this as something that will work for me if I keep at it, and please my patrons so they keep subscribing , and slowly grow in numbers. I don't see it taking off, in fact, overnight sensations end just as quick, and one of the basic pronciples here is somethign steady I can depend on and plan on year after year. We shall see. That's the way I look at it, its worth trying, and time will tell if it really helps. But I'll just keep moving forward, on all these projects, and one way or another, I'll keep following the music, and rying my best to get it out there, and now, make a record of it, and this crazy life I'm living.
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