…is Candylion.
I love this song. So much that I had to download it illegally, just so I could take it with me wherever I go. As a rule, I always pay for my downloads (so long as they’re high quality, DRM-free mp3s), but I can’t ‘buy’ this anywhere online. And I want it now.
In order to make amends, in my mind at least, I found the 7″ on eBay, which appeals to me for three reasons: one, i love 7″ records; two, it’s limited to 1,000 copies, and I love collecting rare releases; and three, word has it there’s a paper lion much like the one in the video for me to assemble myself, which is so unbelievably rad. But if I want the rest of the songs I’ll need to buy the cd. Aye, there’s the rub… I buy a ton of music, but I don’t buy cds anymore…
Face it, the process of ‘manufacturing and selling music’ is completely dominated. We won. And that’s a good thing, if you, and here I speak to the artists not the industry, are willing to change the way you see things. I simply heard a 30 second snip of Candylion on bleep.com, and I was hooked. But I had no way to express that desire, no way to make the connection, no way to consummate the relationship.
Let’s dig a little deeper. At that moment, all I wanted to do is wrap myself up in that song. Then I want to share that feeling with my friends, my family, and the world. And in my mind, you (the artist) should want that too, more than making a buck or two right then and there. Sharing should literally be the easiest thing for me to do with your music.
Your music is already free on the internet, whether it’s on Myspace, YouTube, or BitTorrent. So why not give it away yourself? When I Google you, do I get your website or your blog? I should, shouldn’t I? Can I grab your latest song for free? Is it a high quality, DRM-free mp3? It should be, shouldn’t it?
We experience music on a more personal level now. We no longer walk around with ghetto blasters on our shoulders, we use iPods. (Progress!!) The way we express our love for music has changed as well. If you’re smart, you’ll find a way to nurture that personal connection.
First step, give me the music for free. Let me (help me!) spread the love too. You’ll build a following ready and willing to engage you on every level. How will you make money? More on that next time.
Until then, let’s get back to Lisa Jen and Gruff Rhys. I love this song alone, but the video makes me love it even more. It all works so perfectly together. Oh, and, I’ll save you the trouble of finding the song to download. It’s right here. Trust me, this song sticks in your head, you’re gonna want to hear it again.
Much, much more soon. =)
