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Another way to think about music: Get Lost in it.
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John Tooker, a web-savvy musician himself, sent me a Wired magazine interview with Trent Reznor that you should check out. There is much to reflect on in Reznor's discursive train of thought; and, for now, too little time to write a more considered piece about where he wants to take NIN. I will try to do so when I have more time to breathe.
In the meantime, here are some quick take-aways that I glean from the interview:
1. What Reznor says about the comparison to Lost, a favorite program of his, and his trying, as an artist, to create a game-like box to be in with NIN fans [that is to say, being collectively "in the experience"] reminds me of a potential fuzz game Tooker and his band-mates at Marqui Adora described awhile back. [You can find the game in JT's blog archive, I think.]
2. Reznor's description of the music industry in transition and the death-throes of the major labels is accurate - the labels better do something quickly (but it's probably too late). In this connection, see Resnikoff's Year-End 2007 Parting Shot: What Happens Next.
3. I have this notion that if we (that is to say, the fuzz folks, artists, and fans) can together make the entire website something similar to the "in the experience" connection as a second life [a Lost in Music experience if you will], this may finally lead us to the much discussed, sought-after, but difficult to find, "holy grail of a new music business model" that works for both the artists and their fans in the modern web-based era. It may not be a coincidence that many fuzzheads are also Lost fans and so is Reznor, one of the most out-of-the-box musicians we have. My own out-of-the-box thought to leave with you at Year-End 2007 and to think about in the new year, is to create a Lost in Music second-life experience at fuzz to sustain us. After all, we live in a fuzzy world anyway.
4. The notion of "writing history into the future" that Reznor speaks about is precisely what artists do for society and we should keep the integrity of that creative process alive and cherish it. It is the only thing that keeps us sane as a collective group of insane individuals.
Happy Holidays to all, even you proclaimed atheists out there (I'm still in search of engagement myself). There is much to do in the New Year.
In the meantime, here are some quick take-aways that I glean from the interview:
1. What Reznor says about the comparison to Lost, a favorite program of his, and his trying, as an artist, to create a game-like box to be in with NIN fans [that is to say, being collectively "in the experience"] reminds me of a potential fuzz game Tooker and his band-mates at Marqui Adora described awhile back. [You can find the game in JT's blog archive, I think.]
2. Reznor's description of the music industry in transition and the death-throes of the major labels is accurate - the labels better do something quickly (but it's probably too late). In this connection, see Resnikoff's Year-End 2007 Parting Shot: What Happens Next.
3. I have this notion that if we (that is to say, the fuzz folks, artists, and fans) can together make the entire website something similar to the "in the experience" connection as a second life [a Lost in Music experience if you will], this may finally lead us to the much discussed, sought-after, but difficult to find, "holy grail of a new music business model" that works for both the artists and their fans in the modern web-based era. It may not be a coincidence that many fuzzheads are also Lost fans and so is Reznor, one of the most out-of-the-box musicians we have. My own out-of-the-box thought to leave with you at Year-End 2007 and to think about in the new year, is to create a Lost in Music second-life experience at fuzz to sustain us. After all, we live in a fuzzy world anyway.
4. The notion of "writing history into the future" that Reznor speaks about is precisely what artists do for society and we should keep the integrity of that creative process alive and cherish it. It is the only thing that keeps us sane as a collective group of insane individuals.
Happy Holidays to all, even you proclaimed atheists out there (I'm still in search of engagement myself). There is much to do in the New Year.
Comments
The future of music websites is closely tied to the coming emergence of web 3.0, which will be far more search engine intense. This will change even more aspects of what a music/social website has to compete with in terms of content quality. The current and continued rush for new music by the consumer will begin to place a higher demand for quality music at their disposal. I then see more screening of music uploads by artists at these coming music/social community websites, to further insure their visitors and members of the quality music available. These types of sites are already exist on the web, and more are sure to follow. I see it as a continuance of generating commerce for the website, along with the ever-present niche advertising in PPC and other forms.
Having realized this, it will IMO, give the artist more incentive to work in their genre in a new, better monitored fashion. With so many more music/social website communities becoming available to artists, it may also serve as a source of further inspiration to them to release the best music they can possibly produce. This cycle has begun, and its widening is a benefit to artists and listeners alike.
Here's to a great 2008.
TCC, thanks for your inspired thoughts.
BB