B. Loco Posted November 3, 2009 The new Shpongle album came out yesterday, and there's already an opportunity to download the music illegally. As much as I'm stinging to hear what the next chapter in the amazing psybient journey offered by Raja Ram & Simon Posford is all about, I am refraining. Instead, I went to Twisted Records and ordered a legitimate copy. Including delivery from the UK, it works out to be about SEVENTEEN AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS ($17AUD). Unlike others who might choose to download this illegally, I will have to wait for a week or two to have a listen, but I'll be hearing it in the best quality possible, the tracks will be seamless, I will have cover-art to pore over during my virgin sitting. My credit card has been debited, so technically I now own the record, and could download it... but fuck it, they deserve more respect than that. Simon Posford commented last month on the Twisted forum about the leaking of this record - really it wasn't that widespread then, but today there's heaps of torrents out there. If you read his comments, you may reconsider the very real problems with pirated music, especially with a non-commercial interest. Do the right thing, people. You can't argue with the idea of the best original psybient trance at a very low cost, whenit means the artists can live, not as disgraceful millionaires, but to keep producing god vibes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
True Posted November 3, 2009 (edited) I admire you holding out after already owning it hehe Let us know what you think when you've had a listen! Edited November 3, 2009 by True Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alkatrope Posted November 3, 2009 (edited) It's an interesting thing. I liked what Ott had to say about it. Ironically it's the small artists [like me] who benefit most from file sharing.If it weren't for file sharing I wouldn't be sitting in a hotel in California preparing to play the Earthdance Festival before jaunting up to Canada for a week of gigs and then heading down the east coast and southern states of the USA until the end of October. I'm playing in Moscow in November and Australia in January. My marketing budget is zero quid and yet I'm known to probably 50,000 people worldwide - maybe more. Ten years ago, pre-Napster, I would probably have been known to a handful of people in Britain and I still wouldn't be making a living from selling records. I think it's bizarre that a roomful of millionaires should be whining on how unfair it all is. Fuck them. P2p music sharing is the most incredible free viral marketing tool and probably the best thing to happen to music since the invention of the multitrack tape machine. edit: I myself already gave it a listen.. It's nice but not impressive, it's almost like they've recycled the same old sounds, would've been cool to hear something new. Edited November 3, 2009 by alkatrope Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B. Loco Posted November 3, 2009 B'ah ! Don't spoil my incoming cherry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alkatrope Posted November 3, 2009 Hehe.. Of course that is nothing more than one man's opinion. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chiral Posted November 3, 2009 (edited) I used to religiously buy all my music, never wanted to listen to crunched up mp3's. Bought material played through a half decent sound system will always sound ten times better than any mp3 on played back on your PC. Times change though and money becomes real tight, so tight that you only just manage to pay the bills and stay alive. Buying music is out of the question. IMO if you are really stuck then download your music if you must, and at least make an effort to purchase when you are flush and have the spare coin. THE SHPONGLE DEBACLE AND WHY MY MUSIC IS FREE edit...I might also add that downloading music is sometimes the only way to find rare and older tracks/albums that are no longer available for sale, at least that artists stuff is still being spread around and giving them continuing exposure. Edited November 3, 2009 by Chiral Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
holymountain Posted November 3, 2009 if ten people download an album and tell ten people about it then there is 100 people who have heard of your band. if those people all come to your gigs and a quarter of them buy a t shirt then you can't really complain that ten of them didn't buy your album. in the end its the record companies that suffer. not the artists. the labels have been screwing artists for decades anyway so it's only fair that they suffer. that will teach them for treating music like a commodity and releasing such shit music for the last 20 years. in the 60s and 70s album artwork was almost as important as the music. now it's just light pornography with no artistic merrit. no wonder people don't care about owning the artwork. most of it isn't worth having. but look at radiohead, tool, nine inch nails fans...those bands put a lot of effort into their packaging and their artwork and their fans show their gratitude by buying their albums. i'll download albums and if i really dig them then i go out and buy it. i'm not content to have a favourite album on mp3. i need the artwork and i need the complete package. i've bought a lot of albums through downloading them first. i've also downloaded a lot of shit albums and am glad that i didn't buy them first. traditionally bands make their money from touring and merchandise. record sales have always gone to the record companies and the artist gets a pissy percentage. album sales might be down but gig attendance and merchandise sales are at an all time high. anyway...that said... if you like an artist or an album and they are rocking your world and giving you shivers and connecting with you then you ought to buy the album. its the least you can do... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
t st tantra Posted November 3, 2009 cd covers are too small for me to value the artwork much.i was raised on vinyl lp covers ,peaking during the gatefold period.....i miss projecting into that quality of art work during appropriate times...... t s t . and writing that everyone needs a magnifying glass to read.....thats just plain rude and ignorant! it's become product and poor product at that,imho. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MORG Posted November 3, 2009 I tried playing by the rules for a while but found the protection on iTunes-purchased music to be more restrictive and frustrating than when I used to buy music on CD. I can't listen to the music my brother buys on his account, moving tracks from iPod to computer to computer to device is impossible and I've wasted dozens of CDs trying to burn albums with some sort of protection on them. I also don't have the net at home, so authentication, registration and all that bullshit is inaccessible to me. Anyway, this all recently built to a head, I got the shits and now I'm a pirate, yarrgh! I'll save my money for gigs. The album is fantastic I think. More of a Younger Brother feel with all the live drums on it. I think its been written with a more full live-band kind of vibe in mind rather than your DJ front and center with support. Love it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alkatrope Posted November 4, 2009 I used to religiously buy all my music, never wanted to listen to crunched up mp3's. Bought material played through a half decent sound system will always sound ten times better than any mp3 on played back on your PC. Depends on the bitrate of the mp3.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SayN Posted November 7, 2009 i'd even argue that some stuff actually sounds better as mp3! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
poo Posted November 14, 2009 (edited) Nicely commented Holy Mountain, I couldn't agree more. As the following article points out: "Labels may be losing money, but artists are making more than ever" http://www.boingboing.net/2009/11/13/label...-be-losing.html Don't feel too guilty for ripping off the companies that have been ripping off the bands you love. I've no intention to buy music mass produced in archaic and fundamentally sub-standard formats (CD) or butchered into even lesser quality 'convenient' files (iTunes). I do however have every intention to see bands live, buy their shirts, steal their music and tell my friends to do the same. If you're not so comfortable with that, start searching out the myriad of artists releasing music in high quality formats under creative commons licenses; there's some stunning music being given away! As an aside, start downloading lossless audio so you don't regret it in a few years! Lossy audio like MP3 is fast becoming obsolete given the ever diminishing price of storage, and lossless quality rips of anything you'd like are floating about for you to google into your ears Nearly forgot... Quite like new Shpongleland, hell I might even buy it! Edited November 14, 2009 by poo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
incognito Posted November 14, 2009 it doesnt really float my boat. i really like the 'nothing is something worth doing' track. the rest of the tunes i found quite unnerving on a recent exploration. however, the crew are surely masters of their craft. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
