forge wrote:
So how we going to do this? Adam you've got a catalogue as long as my arm - does that mean you're fairly well connected on the distribution front ? Do you, or does anyone else have a label they want to put it on?
One of my labels just tanked, the other is still about 3 releases back in the queue so putting it on my label is somewhat unrealistic right now.
I could definitely shop it to distributors if need be, though keep in mind my contacts are very techno/house specific. Other than Watts, which is the only one with a wide range of genres they distribute, the Dists i use are Rhythmic in NYC, and subsequently Intergroove in Frankfurt, Germany. They are also more vinyl-centric, so perhaps someone else with more of a repetoire in CD Distribution has another avenue we could explore?
Sales for vinyl AND CD have been shit though. Certainly this Compilation would give excellent opportunity for the CD to be successful, but it would still have to battle a totally crappy market right now.
The last benefit project i was involved with consisted of three 12" 4-track EP's, and then a Mixed Compilation CD that used all of the vinyl tracks plus some bonus tracks. I beleive the average # of vinyl sales was 750 records per release, and the CD barely made it to 500 copies. In the end not much money was given to the cause at all.
I'm certainly willing to help with making some calls regarding distribution on this project, but i am afraid that my connections wouldn't do the project much justice. To really be successful, in my opinion, the project would have to net at least 100% of the money invested into it. That is, a 100% return. Anything less than that and it would have been a better idea to just give the money that would have been invested in the project in the first place. Where alot of benefits are about "awareness", this cause i think is more about action. The monetary donation itself outweighs the project. The end is more important than the means.
I think to truley make the project succeed, the CD would have to be pushed by everyone, grassroots style. as in every gig an artist on the CD has, the CD needs to be available for sale. Perhaps the Laptopapalooza Tour '05 could sell them as well. And the CD would most definitely have to be available from the Ableton Online SHOP, which means they need to sign off on it. Also, a website would have to be established, i can host it if need be, but the domain would have to be arranged, and an ordering system as well - Don't forget manpower of taking, filling, and shipping the orders.
The old model of manufacture and send it to the distributor / they do all the rest, has gone out when this global recession hit. So its really the whole hog or nothing.
What i, personally, can contribute is a Track (of course), 50MB webspace with unlimited bandwidth, and pitching the CD to Watts/Rhythmic/Intergroove.
and on another note, considering the vast range of artists we have interested in the project, i also think the project should be a single cd, compilation - not mixed. It would be truley difficult to transition from Rahlo to Amberience to all the other artists, etc.
And on another 'nother note... what would you guys think of making it an MP3 CD ? i.e. Data CD? This would allow for 349 Minutes of 256kbps MP3 Audio. If the average track length is 5 minutes and 30 seconds... 63 TRACKS!!! could be fit onto an MP3 CD.
Theres a group here in Indianapolis that does an MP3 CD for "indianapolismusic.net" and it allows them to showcase far more tracks, and these days, in the age of technology... i think that anyone who would buy this CD would definitely have a computer. It also opens up the avenue of adding some Multimedia content. And the huge track count may also give incentive for folks to purchase it.
Something to consider...
well at least you're honest!