This DC band managed to get big names on their album. Help them release it.

Elikeh is an independent Afropop band from DC. They have a new album coming up called between 2 worlds.
They managed to have Vieux Farka Toure and John Kadlecik of Furthur on the album.
If you pre-order the album, you will be helping them get enough fund to hire a publicist and start a tour to promote the album.
Check out their campaign on Kickstarter- http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1708271923/elikeh-afropop-new-album?ref=live

Get the album before they release it.

Here is their website. www.elikeh.net

I'm tired of all this internet begging that bands do these days.

not begging! you are being asked to pre-order the album… If you don't like the band or the music, then don't do it. If you like the band, then when you preorder the songs, it will help them.

I'm supporting this one… I've supported a number of Kickstarter projects primarily for friends releases and feel this is a close as I'll get to running a record label given the economics of running one these days.

chaz wrote:
I'm tired of all this internet begging that bands do these days.

uncool

I agree that this solicitation is more palatable than most.  But i'm tired of bands doing kickstarters for things like "buy us a van so we can go on tour". 

Ive contributed to two so far.
First one:  Shael Riley and the Double Ice Backfire.  Help us get our new album properly mastered.  Or something like that.  I paid 35 bucks.  I was supposed to get posters, art books, cds, etc… lots of stuff.  Two years later, nothing.  Then i update my address in the system after an email, 6 months go by and nothing.  I contact Kickstarter, and they say im essentially out of luck.  So i finally have a back and forth between Shael, he blames his live drummer, and I end up getting a refund.  There seems to be almost nothing one can do if they get screwed over, so even though you like a band, be careful.

Second one:  Wasnt kickstarter (cant remember the name).  Ringo Deathstarr needed money to record album in a proper studio.  I sent money, am supposed to get digital album and t shirt.  My fingers are crossed that they dont leave a bad taste in my mouth, because I am about done with the kickstarter style funding.  I would much rather buy a shirt at a show or a poster at a bands webstore, to help them out, than to just pledge money that I might get rewards for.

.

I have fifty cents to a bum in a Tupac shirt.

I'm tired of bands having boring/overpriced/etc rewards on their kickstarters.  Guess what, if you're a local band, then an autographed copy of your album is not worth $25.  Also, if you're a local band, then a regular version of your album is not worth $15– should be $10 tops.  It's fine if you want to use kickstarter to help you pre-sell your album, but it's not awesome to ask your fans to pay way more than an item is worth to subsidize the cost of recording/releasing an album or buying a van or whatever.

showlistdc wrote:
I'm tired of bands having boring/overpriced/etc rewards on their kickstarters.  Guess what, if you're a local band, then an autographed copy of your album is not worth $25.  Also, if you're a local band, then a regular version of your album is not worth $15– should be $10 tops.  It's fine if you want to use kickstarter to help you pre-sell your album, but it's not awesome to ask your fans to pay way more than an item is worth to subsidize the cost of recording/releasing an album or buying a van or whatever.

i think you're missing the point here - that's exactly what kickstarter is, a sort of fundraiser.  just like when you donate $50 to NPR and they send you a t-shirt.  are you going to complain that the t-shirt isn't worth $50? \

you don't use kickstarter to sell your merch at regular prices.

sweetcell wrote:
i think you're missing the point here - that's exactly what kickstarter is, a sort of fundraiser.  just like when you donate $50 to NPR and they send you a t-shirt.  are you going to complain that the t-shirt isn't worth $50? \

you don't use kickstarter to sell your merch at regular prices.

The fact that you're equating NPR's service with a local band's merch underscores that you completely missed my point.

showlistdc wrote:
I'm tired of bands having boring/overpriced/etc rewards on their kickstarters.  Guess what, if you're a local band, then an autographed copy of your album is not worth $25.  Also, if you're a local band, then a regular version of your album is not worth $15– should be $10 tops.  It's fine if you want to use kickstarter to help you pre-sell your album, but it's not awesome to ask your fans to pay way more than an item is worth to subsidize the cost of recording/releasing an album or buying a van or whatever.

i see where you're going with this. spice it up! maybe along the lines of…

a donation of $1000 - we play a 20-minute rock ballad in your bedroom while you're balls deep in your SO.

chaz wrote:
I'm tired of all this internet begging that bands do these days.

Agreed.

Who do you think you are? Steve Fucking Albini?

chaz wrote:
I'm tired of all this internet begging that bands do these days.

showlistdc wrote:

sweetcell wrote:
i think you're missing the point here - that's exactly what kickstarter is, a sort of fundraiser.  just like when you donate $50 to NPR and they send you a t-shirt.  are you going to complain that the t-shirt isn't worth $50? \

you don't use kickstarter to sell your merch at regular prices.

The fact that you're equating NPR's service with a local band's merch underscores that you completely missed my point.

then please explain it, 'cause your point is not obvious. 

i think my NPR example is quite applicable here - asking high prices for merch via kickstarter is asking for a donation.  in both cases the donor is handing over more than what the item he gets in return are actually worth.  there is an understanding that the difference is a donation.

i'm not saying that NPR is like a band, or vice-versa.  or that the mugs that NPR gives away are the same as a signed album.  i'm saying that the mechanisms for raising money are the same.

but please, tell me where i've missed your point.

Also remember that for a $25 donation, Kickstarter takes a 10% cut I believe, Amazon gets a cut and they ship the CD/Album/t-shirt to you as part of the price.  Yes it's still a bit of a premium, for a CD but then again you can always wait to it gets released to the public. 

I do however wonder about the likes of Amanda Palmer who took in 1.1 Million are kinda abusing the system for more than artist gain, that some serious money after manufacturing costs etc.

And even with all that money raised, she now isn't offering to pay local string and horn players that join her on stage.  What's famously bouncing around the internet is the offer of Hugs and Beer to join her on stage. 

With that said Alice Smith has a kickstarter going which I a backer of.  Fantastic Neo soul singer from DC…