Radiohead Just Blew My Mind, and The Music Industry
You say you want a revolution?
Well, Radiohead may have just started one.
It’s evolution at the very least, they are true visionaries.
Hello everyone.
Well, the new album is finished, and it’s coming out in 10 days;
We’ve called it In Rainbows.
Love from us all.
Jonny
That’s right NO RECORD LABEL.
You can pre-order it now as a download, which will be made available Oct. 10th, or pre-order an amazingly well packaged “discbox”, which will ship on or before Dec. 3. And you CAN NAME YOUR OWN PRICE for the digital download. They have simply said:
“Its up to you”.
If I could afford it, I would pay $1000.00 for the digital download. I love what they are doing, I love everything about it.
In Rainbows is Radiohead’s “Karma Police” to the majors . . . . how beautifully ironic. Thom Yorke to The Independent in 2006, when asked he was asked what the song was about: “It’s for someone who has to work for a large company. This is a song against bosses. Fuck the middle management.”
The Discbox
“THIS CONSISTS OF THE NEW ALBUM, IN RAINBOWS, ON CD AND ON 2 X 12 INCH HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL RECORDS. A SECOND, ENHANCED CD CONTAINS MORE NEW SONGS, ALONG WITH DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHS AND ARTWORK. THE DISCBOX ALSO INCLUDES ARTWORK AND LYRIC BOOKLETS.
ALL ARE ENCASED IN A HARDBACK BOOK AND SLIPCASE. THE ALBUM DOWNLOAD AUTOMATICALLY COMES WITH THIS PACK.”
TL:
CD 1 & vinyl:
01 15 STEP
02 BODYSNATCHERS
03 NUDE
04 WEIRD FISHES/ARPEGGI
05 ALL I NEED
06 FAUST ARP
07 RECKONER
08 HOUSE OF CARDS
09 JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE
10 VIDEOTAPE
CD 2 & vinyl:
01 MK 1
02 DOWN IS THE NEW UP
03 GO SLOWLY
04 MK 2
05 LAST FLOWERS
06 UP ON THE LADDER
07 BANGERS AND MASH
08 4 MINUTE WARNING
“In Rainbows” is the seventh album from the band since 2003’s “Hail To The Thief”. When they left EMI in 2005, rumors (especially as of late) have been swirling about who they might sign with. And I do have a feeling we will be hearing more about a label deal for the physical release quite soon ; )
I have always loved Radiohead, didn’t think it was possible to love them anymore, now they are also my heroes. I paid $600 for a pair of tickets to see them in Chicago last year, and it was worth every penny. (Mind you, I paid that much b/c I didn’t buy them the day they went on sale, and it was sold out, had to hit up Stubhub.) I was in NYC and flew in for the show. They blew my mind, and continue to do so. This move is HUGE.
And Lefsetz (see below) is right, major labels are screwed, not like that was a big secret already. I have been waiting for an artist of their caliber to do something like since reading Talking Heads, David Byrne’s speech at SXSW this year. He stated “the idea of artists working completely independent of a record label is possible, yet also noted that “such a model won’t work for smaller or developing acts, who need a team to provide marketing and tour support.” It was practically a challenge.
Read the full article on Billboard.
From Lefsetz:
This is big news. This says the major labels are fucked. Untrustworthy with a worthless business model. Radiohead doesn’t seem to care if the music is free. Not that they believe it will be. Because believers will give you ALL THEIR MONEY!
This is the industry’s worst nightmare. Superstar band, THE superstar band, forging ahead by its own wits. Proving that others can too. And they will.
This is what happens when you sell twenty dollar CDs with one good track and sue your customers for trading P2P. This is what happens when you believe you’re ENTITLED to your business. This is what happens when music is a second-class citizen only interested in the bottom line.
There’s no testimonial to Jimmy Iovine on inrainbows.com. No thanks to Rick Rubin, never mind Lyor Cohen. Radiohead doesn’t need those stinkin’ badges. They’re THINKING FOR THEMSELVES!
What did that button say back in the sixties? “Question Authority”? That’s what Radiohead is doing here. They’re not holding back, saying their hands are tied, but are forging into the future.
You can’t make a TV show by yourself. Certainly not a movie. Not that anyone can see. But you can make a record all by your lonesome, it doesn’t cost that much. And you can say exactly what you want, you don’t need to clean it up for Wal-Mart. And, you can distribute it yourself online. That’s what Radiohead is doing.
Will they make a deal with a major for physical distribution? Will they do it themselves? Or will they leave ALL that money on the table? Shit, that would blow MY mind.
a very inspiring turn of events, indeed!
Comment by waxyjax — October 1, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
I would expect nothing less from the greatest band of our generation. I am blown away but not surprised. I would, and have, laid down any amount of money to see this band any chance I’ve had and been worth every single penny. I just wish I could afford this box set. Gotta save those pennies. Love this article.
Comment by Dino — October 2, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
[...] similarity in name, Rainbow is not the same as In Rainbows, Radiohead’s latest album/wrecking they swung at the house of cards known as the Record [...]
Pingback by TRASH MENAGERIE » EMI: Fighting for Scraps? — November 13, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
[...] Webcast - Covers Joy Division, The Smiths, Thom DJ’s & EMI Makes Plans to Re-release :: Radiohead Just Blew My Mind and The Music Industry Sphere: Related Content posted by Audio Pimpstress at 10:29 pm [...]
Pingback by TRASH MENAGERIE |David Byrne Talks to Wired :: Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists and Megastars — December 20, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
[...] Dead Air Space David Byrne Talks to Wired - Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists and Megastars Radiohead Just Blew My Mind and the Music Industry Apple Insider Reports Rumors of Jay-Z and Apple in Record Label Deal Sphere: Related Content [...]
Pingback by TRASH MENAGERIE |Radiohead - In Rainbows Released on I-Tunes — January 9, 2008 @ 10:14 pm