Comments on: "He come to me with money in his hands"

"He come to me with money in his hands"

Bookhouse — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:18:29 -0800

Apparently irritated with their record label dragging feet, Sacramento band Death Grips (previ ously) took to their Twitter feed last night and (after quoting a little Charles Manson) began leaking their new album NO LOVE DEEP WEB. They are now reporting that their label has shut down the group's website, but the album is still out there.

By: Bookhouse

Bookhouse — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:21:27 -0800

Oh, I don't think I linked to it directly, but beware: the album cover is extremely NSFW.

By: naju

naju — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:24:19 -0800

I don't really get this. Are they okay with being dragged into an unwinnable lawsuit by Epic, getting bankrupted and having all their time and resources be devoted to fighting that? (Or, more likely, is this a publicity stunt with collusion from the record label?)

By: Blue_Villain

Blue_Villain — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:24:37 -0800

Well, it may not be the pandora (as in box and/or perfect world, not internet streaming) that people were expecting, but it's at least good to see one band take the nuclear option with regards to circumventing record labels. I'm interested to see what the legal fallout is though, since technically the "album" is more than likely property of the label. Something something when bands are pirates of their own music something something we're all pirates something.

By: 2bucksplus

2bucksplus — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:25:21 -0800

The cover art is a wiener with "NO LOVE DEEP WEB" written on it in what appears to be black marker, if you were wondering (like I was).

By: Potomac Avenue

Potomac Avenue — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:36:46 -0800

Death Grips are one of about 5 bands left that still rep the streets. Bite that hand so badly boys!

By: palidor

palidor — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:41:58 -0800

I never understood why this band was signed to a major label in the first place. Or what noz said. Basically this is all very silly.

By: cribcage

cribcage — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:50:04 -0800

it's at least good to see one band take the nuclear option with regards to circumventing record labels. Taking a record label's money to record and produce your album and then stealing the product and releasing it for free (if in fact that's what happened; it's not entirely clear) isn't really "circumventing."

By: Blue_Villain

Blue_Villain — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:53:50 -0800

No, it's not. That's why I called it the "nuclear option". As in: blowing something up. It wouldn't really be detrimental to the record agency model if the band just didn't have one in the first place.

By: MetalFingerz

MetalFingerz — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:54:41 -0800

I don't really like Death Grips, but I'll blindly support anything that rips off major labels.

By: filthy light thief

filthy light thief — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:58:41 -0800

I never understood why this band was signed to a major label in the first place Never underestimate the desire for a label to grab hold onto the next bandwagon:

Techno was just going commercial [in the early 1990s] and the majors didn't understand it. They [Phonogram Records] loved the fact that we [Atari Teenage Riot] were a band and in their view easier to sell to the mass market. We knew that digital hardcore as the genre that I invented would not work within that system. We had to start our own label. So we went for the deal with the highest unrecoupable advance which was very high in those days. Then our goal was to get out of the deal as fast as possible by sabotaging the whole thing. It worked.

Alec Empire claimed there were A&R people at ATR's second show, trying to get the band signed. Similarly, Death Grips was/is a huge internet phenomena, due in part to their mysterious beginnings.

[I]t was the group's unsettling, low-budget video for the song "Guillotine" that caught Cob-Baehler's attention. In October, after a courtship by several labels following the mixtape release, Death Grips ventured to Sony's Los Angeles headquarters. There, MC Ride tagged the company's bathroom with graffiti before the meeting, demonstrating a sense of rebellion that sold executives on the threesome. What's unusual is how the group responded to Epic's pitch, especially given its anti-establishment attitude.

"Hey, they just tagged our bathrooms, after they were invited here to talk about a record deal. I like their moxy! Let's sign those rebels!"

By: carsonb

carsonb — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:17:03 -0800

Record labels: "You guys! We were supposed to harness your edgy chaotic feel and use it to make money!" Death Grips: [Edgy chaos] *Edited to note that I fucking edited this comment.

By: djseafood

djseafood — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:48:46 -0800

call it playing "Robin Hood" with your own creation. Media Blitz awarded, album goes viral. Success all around. Death Grips music is not for everyone, pushing boundaries, I commend them for this.

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:01:01 -0800

Taking a record label's money to record and produce your album and then stealing the product and releasing it for free (if in fact that's what happened; it's not entirely clear) isn't really "circumventing." Sure. But I like the cut of their jib.

By: markkraft

markkraft — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:13:26 -0800

Hm. I think I know why the record label wanted to wait to release this.

By: raihan_

raihan_ — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:43:04 -0800

8=N=O=L=O=V=E=D=E=E=P=W=E=B=D~~~ listening to this album in public is kind of difficult because sometimes i whip out my phone and on android it displays the album art... lets just say it looks like i'm whipping something else out too. man. and honestly, i usually think that bands of low music merit resort to shock tactics like this. the strange part is that this is a really solid album. if you remotely enjoyed where the last two records were going, check this out. zach hill's drumming is pushed to the forefront and MC Ride's screams have given way to a very cold rhyming cadence (at least in portions). was happy to see the band's choice of bayfiles as a host. one-click DL! nice.

By: freebird

freebird — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:45:07 -0800

*Edited to note that I fucking edited this comment. Holy shmoley, what??? WOWZERS edited to point out that I may need to visit the grey more.

By: zachlipton

zachlipton — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:46:09 -0800

There, MC Ride tagged the company's bathroom with graffiti before the meeting, demonstrating a sense of rebellion that sold executives on the threesome. Given this beginning, I'd say that Epic was pretty much on notice that they weren't exactly doing business with the most reliable and stable individuals. It's hard to feel too much sympathy for a company that purposely seeks out artists who are prone to rash and destructive acts when said artists ultimately behave exactly as promised. Of course, if it is true that the label was refusing to release their completed album until "sometime next year," I can sympathize with Death Grips a bit here. Or it's all just a stupid marketing stunt, and the world's tenuous grasp on the truth has just gotten that little bit weaker.

By: raihan_

raihan_ — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:10:46 -0800

and after the band's foray into an online scavenger hunt via 4Chan of all places, i'm not surprised if the cover becomes a strange meme on /b/ or something! edit: AN EDIT BUTTON!!!!!

By: ominous_paws

ominous_paws — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 01:37:56 -0800

Wiley tends to get in a huff and pull this stunt about once a year. Ultimately it's probably not a great move for anyone involved, but I've got a wry respect for the amount of chutzpah necessary to do it.

By: carsonb

carsonb — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:37:01 -0800

I've listened to this twice now and it is pretty fucking spectacular.

By: Bookhouse

Bookhouse — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:10:57 -0800

It's growing on me. I think it will always be difficult for them to top the first mixtape, and there's nothing on here with the face-melting power of "Tachyon" or "System Blower." And I think the second half of the album is better than the first, which is a little odd.

By: carsonb

carsonb — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:23:37 -0800

Heh, the website is back up, featuring huge penis. Has there been some reconciliation or further developments? Or, darlings, did this all happen according to plan, every step of the way? Edgy

By: carsonb

carsonb — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:24:04 -0800

"We consider this art." HA!

By: carsonb

carsonb — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:29:10 -0800

Also, it's funny the visceral reaction I have to this whole affair. My face twists up in disgust and I think, How dare the big record labels co-opt and abuse the traditionally indie milieu of new media? ...like everyone said they should all through the '00s?