"Ever get the feeling you'd been cheated?"

Amen to Reod Dai.

That whole notion of "radiohead gave their album away for free" is bullshit. They cleared $10,000,000.00 by some estimates - in the first week! They didn't "give something to their fans" they merely figured out a way to get all the cash themselves (not that there's anything wrong with that). All the news about their upcoming tour indicates that they will be playing the Mega-Domes. It's all good and fine that they have circumvented the labels to get all the green for themselves, but let's not pretend that they are doing anything other than turning themselves into an autonomous label.

I guess I still don't see a problem in creating a product, made to order, for those that want it. That's all the discbox is.

Personally, I say more power to them for banking the money themselves, rather than letting a label do it.

The issue I take with these things are the bonus tracks. I can understand releasing a jazzed-up version of an album for the vinyl enthusiasts, with gatefold covers and exclusive artwork.

But when you also package exclusive tracks, that seems to be screwing the consumer. Say I'm a huge Radiohead fan and dished out $15 for the download. It's a total slap in the face to then be expected to buy an $80 collector's set just to get 5 extra songs.

And I think Brian's main point is that for $80 you can get a hell of a lot more from the record company that's "screwing" Radiohead than you can from the band that supposedly loves their fans.

Originally posted by nkotb:
The issue I take with these things are the bonus tracks. I can understand releasing a jazzed-up version of an album for the vinyl enthusiasts, with gatefold covers and exclusive artwork.

But when you also package exclusive tracks, that seems to be screwing the consumer. Say I'm a huge Radiohead fan and dished out $15 for the download. It's a total slap in the face to then be expected to buy an $80 collector's set just to get 5 extra songs.

And I think Brian's main point is that for $80 you can get a hell of a lot more from the record company that's "screwing" Radiohead than you can from the band that supposedly loves their fans.

if you were a "huge" radiohead fan, you probably would be buying this for your collector's set of other radiohead memorabilia that you had to have. for the average fan, this seems utterly ridiculous. im sure you can find all the songs to download somewhere - granted the quality wont be as good.

and how is radiohead screwing their fans. if you dont want the stuff - dont buy it. its as simple as that. they let you take the album for free - (or whatever you felt the price was worth) - but people still complain. it really doesnt matter if they priced it at $60 youd still have the same complaints how its not fair that you paid $15 and didnt get the other songs.

isnt that what b-sides and all other things are all about. you already own the damn album and then pay $20 on a ridiculous import single just to get the coveted song. (or so i did when i was younger). i have no regrets.

I look at this the entirely same way. If i had to have it, I'd buy it. but since its not the dandy warhols - and lord knows id pay any price for something like that - ill be passing.

Originally posted by azaghal1981:
Did your parents not hug you as an infant?

Maybe pa hugged him too much…just say'n.

Personally, I'll download the songs if I feel like it, because I'm not a huge Radiohead fan. Hell, I wouldn't have downloaded the new one if I wasn't able to pay $1 for it.

It's not even really worth arguing over. Some of us don't seem to realize that not everyone can afford to catch a show every night of the week or buy every CD and vinyl single a band releases to have a complete collection, or that forcing a fan to buy three different versions of an album to get the one exclusive song each retailer is offering is in no way rewarding their loyal fan base. And the few of us that can realize what a rip-off it is ;)

If Radiohead actually cared, they take the Wilco approach, and offer free downloads to anyone that bought the one version of their CD in stores. That's fan friendly.

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
blah blah blah

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
but since its not the dandy warhols - and lord knows id pay any price for something like that - ill be passing.

I'd pay $80 for a limited-edition, deluxe boxed set of Zia McCabe's best "Get 'Em Out!" moments lovingly collected in a special, leather-bound volume.

$90! $100, I'd pay.

Brian

why not just go the brian jonestown massacre approach and have every song available for download for FREE. it seems to be working for them.

screw the Wilco approach - this is even better for people who dont wanna pay anything.

Originally posted by nkotb:
Personally, I'll download the songs if I feel like it, because I'm not a huge Radiohead fan. Hell, I wouldn't have downloaded the new one if I wasn't able to pay $1 for it.

It's not even really worth arguing over. Some of us don't seem to realize that not everyone can afford to catch a show every night of the week or buy every CD and vinyl single a band releases to have a complete collection, or that forcing a fan to buy three different versions of an album to get the one exclusive song each retailer is offering is in no way rewarding their loyal fan base. And the few of us that can realize what a rip-off it is ;)

If Radiohead actually cared, they take the Wilco approach, and offer free downloads to anyone that bought the one version of their CD in stores. That's fan friendly.

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
blah blah blah

Originally posted by Brian_Wallace:

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
but since its not the dandy warhols - and lord knows id pay any price for something like that - ill be passing.

I'd pay $80 for a limited-edition, deluxe boxed set of Zia McCabe's best "Get 'Em Out!" moments lovingly collected in a special, leather-bound volume.

$90! $100, I'd pay.

Brian

you wouldnt be the only one. i know plenty of people that would pay obscene amounts of money for that.

As a consumer, I'd agree. I'd love to be able to get all of my music free. But let's face facts…that's not the way the world works. I do I commend BJM for doing it that way…that takes a lot of balls and a real passion for getting your music out there.

I can't wait until bands charge you face value for admission to their show, and then try to charge you extra for the encore.

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
why not just go the brian jonestown massacre approach and have every song available for download for FREE. it seems to be working for them.

screw the Wilco approach - this is even better for people who dont wanna pay anything.

how about every ticket and drink at the club be free? coat check too. and parking. the club rips off the music lover.

You have to remember that the Radiohead Discbox is actually £40. So it's really not that expensive. It's just unfortunate that the dollar has gone to shit…

And xneverwherex is spot on regarding b-sides. All the import singles for any given Radiohead album would probably cost at least as much as the Discbox. So it's actually easier this way to get all the b-sides at once (assuming that they won't be releasing different b-sides on the singles).

Originally posted by callat703:
Personally, I say more power to them for banking the money themselves, rather than letting a label do it.

I agree with you.

The issue is that Radiohead spent many years in the "label" world building the fanbase so that they could pull off a stunt like they did. For a band just starting out - it is exponentially more difficult to do the same thing.

Radiohead has created a great model for the platinum-selling band that wants to stick it to the proverbial man. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of bands in the same position to follow their lead.

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:

Originally posted by callat703:
Personally, I say more power to them for banking the money themselves, rather than letting a label do it.

I agree with you.

The issue is that Radiohead spent many years in the "label" world building the fanbase so that they could pull off a stunt like they did. For a band just starting out - it is exponentially more difficult to do the same thing.

Radiohead has created a great model for the platinum-selling band that wants to stick it to the proverbial man. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of bands in the same position to follow their lead.

I completely agree.

I quickly want to point out that the box set is priced at ₤40. The only reason it costs $80 to Americans is the extremely poor exchange rate.

ooops, sorry for repeating earlier information about the exchange rate. I still think that's left out of every conversation and people are quick to declare Radiohead evil.

Originally posted by xneverwherex:

Originally posted by Brian_Wallace:

Originally posted by xneverwherex:
but since its not the dandy warhols - and lord knows id pay any price for something like that - ill be passing.

I'd pay $80 for a limited-edition, deluxe boxed set of Zia McCabe's best "Get 'Em Out!" moments lovingly collected in a special, leather-bound volume.

$90! $100, I'd pay.

Brian

you wouldnt be the only one. i know plenty of people that would pay obscene amounts of money for that.

She posed nekkid and preggo for Suicide Girls but I'm assuming that's common knowledge to fans of hers.

Originally posted by TheREALHunter:
She posed nekkid and preggo for Suicide Girls but I'm assuming that's common knowledge to fans of hers.

Yes, but in my scenario, there would be "a second enhanced CD which contains 8 additional" pictures of her naked.

Brian

P.S. Plus some rare pregnant B-sides.

Radiohead should be selling these releases by auction at Christie's or Sotheby's and they should be available to the general public by exhibition at the world's finest museums and cultural centers.

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:

Originally posted by callat703:
Personally, I say more power to them for banking the money themselves, rather than letting a label do it.

I agree with you.

The issue is that Radiohead spent many years in the "label" world building the fanbase so that they could pull off a stunt like they did. For a band just starting out - it is exponentially more difficult to do the same thing.

Radiohead has created a great model for the platinum-selling band that wants to stick it to the proverbial man. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of bands in the same position to follow their lead.

great observation.