In Vol 1, No. 1 of Rolling Stone (November 9, 1967–price: twenty-five cents), the then underground publication self-described as “The Revolution Chronicled By Revolutionaries”, there is a Letter from the Editor that states in part:
“We have begun a new publication reflecting what we see are the changes in rock and roll and the changes related to rock and roll. Because the trade papers have become so inaccurate and irrelevant, and because the fan magazines are an anachronism, fashioned in the mold of myth and nonsense, we hope that we have something here for the artists and the industry, and every person who ‘believes in the magic that can set you free.’
“Rolling Stone is not just about music, but also about the things and attitudes that the music embraces. We’ve been working quite hard on it and we hope you can dig it. To describe it any further would be difficult without sounding like bullshit, and bullshit is like gathering moss.”
-Jann Wenner
Rolling Stone is itself chronicled in Wikipedia and has, to me, gone from underground to mainstream and thus represents both the promise and failed possibilities of an epoch-defining period. The second period of dramatic disruption is occurring right now.
Paul Resnikoff at Digital Music News described the insidious lack of trust that is plaguing the music industry today. I thought it apt in these acrimonious times to post a few observations at our collective Nightschool concerning the evolution of “trust” and “honor” in music.
While looking at the business side of the music industry, I see an entire ecosystem that has lost its compass, morally and economically. The RS Revolution (version 1) failed to gain headway and the lack of direction is creating both hardship and opportunity for existing Artists and Artists-in-the-making. It is time to disaggregate the old music ecosystem. And perhaps this time, the Music Uprising will take hold.
I. Resurrection of Trust in Music
At thecapitalclinic, I found that, by looking at the negative side of things, you can find the positive side hidden underneath and in contradistinction. What I see all around me in the music industry in transformation is a lack of trust among the constituent parts of the system, the Artists, Fans, and the necessary Intermediaries/Facilitators. I, thus, ask myself: How can Trust be resurrected in the presumptively segmented society in which we now find ourselves? I have spoken long and often about the importance of communication links and supernodes in an digital world and the emergence of alternative forms of capital to “keep score” (and we will get back to these themes), but for today, I would like to focus on the importance of ritual honor in restoring trust.
II. Ritual Honor In Music
David Fricke, senior editor at Rolling Stone, has been described as one of the “most passionate, influential and knowledgeable music writers” in the industry and, to me, his observation that “buying music is a social transaction” provides the key to resolve the current artist/music industry dilemma of “digital for free”. Since Fricke works for Rolling Stone, we might call the new revolution (music uprising) RS Revolution (version 2). Let us elaborate at our Nightschool.
Fricke’s insight is blindingly simple: the traditional buy/sell relationship between artist and fan as a one-time market transaction is DEAD; however, the continuing artist/fan relationship itself is very much ALIVE, but conditionally.
How to monetize a continuing social relationship as opposed to a singular commercial one is then just a matter of elegant execution that can take a myriad of forms, depending on how industrious and clever Jenny and Johnny are.
Once you move outside of the single buy/sell market (i.e, a price-driven or price-led supply/demand) paradigm to a broader artist/fan relationship in a hybrid digital/personal context, the world of possibilities opens up to increase the velocity of your social capital.
A “social transaction” that transcends a sale of a product but is more akin to the ritual exchange of honor given for honor received may well cut the Gordian knot that has constrained the development of the music industry for decades and trust will be resurrected.