Comments on: Downloaders Pay Back Wilco

Downloaders Pay Back Wilco

methree — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 13:04:35 -0800

Downloaders Pay Back Wilco Just-launched Justafan.org allows fans who downloaded copies of the new Wilco album to donate to the band-selected charity Doctors Without Borders. In less than a day online, with nothing more than word-of-mouth publicity, donations exceeded $1,500.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 13:16:39 -0800

It's a lovely story, and Wilco are my favorite band working today, but -- not every act has a fan base that would do this, or even conceive of it. All recording artists, especially people releasing stuff online, whether actively (like, well, me) or passively (like, um, Wilco), could take a page out of this story and write a piece of their own promotional future.

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 13:31:16 -0800

Wilco just keep getting cooler and cooler.

By: fenriq

fenriq — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 13:58:58 -0800

This is a great precedent that I'd love to see repeated forever more. Although it wouldn't work quite as well for the bands still travelling to their shows in a beat up old VW bus. Subvert the RIAA!

By: mkultra

mkultra — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 14:04:06 -0800

Awwwww, is there any band cooler than Wilco? I ponied up a few bucks.

By: Tryptophan-5ht

Tryptophan-5ht — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 14:13:01 -0800

This is very cool. id like to see music go back to the patron system. money goes from music listeners to music makers... that would be nice.

By: chicobangs

chicobangs — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 14:43:56 -0800

I had already accepted Jeff Tweedy as my personal savior long before this (I think when Being There came out, if it matters), and as someone who has toured plenty in VW & other buses (and in all probability will again, hopefully sooner than later), this kind of operation works fine for me too. There are problems with the patron system. Good artists will still starve. But for every recording someone downloads, that's someone who is going to give you an honest listen at some point. Which is all most musicians I know ever really asked of anyone. (If you're a Cristal-only-backstage and 600-thread-count-on-the-bed-at-the-Park-Plaza type, this business model may not work for you. Not to judge, just saying.)

By: rafter

rafter — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 14:52:08 -0800

While this is undisputably the coolest thing ever, Subcity Records, on a similar note, donates a certain percentage of all proceeds from each record to a charity chosen by the artist.

By: dig_duggler

dig_duggler — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 15:24:24 -0800

While completely admitting this is lame, I just about pooped myself to learn it was out. If anyone knows of a torrent puuleaze email me. and yes I promise to buy the album when it comes out. there.

By: dig_duggler

dig_duggler — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 15:30:27 -0800

and donate. so double there.

By: tsarfan

tsarfan — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 16:00:31 -0800

see. SEE!

By: th3ph17

th3ph17 — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 16:38:46 -0800

one thing about wilco, i suggested this to a musician friend of mine for his band, and he just sort of sighed and got depressed, said he, "...free downloads didn't help wilco sell records once they finally came out, their music is fucking awesome, that is how they sold records." i'd say its both.

By: jonson

jonson — Fri, 02 Apr 2004 19:27:40 -0800

dig_duggler - try SoulSeek, I found the whole thing there.

By: hoboynow

hoboynow — Sat, 03 Apr 2004 08:49:15 -0800

SLSK works, for sure, but try finding the studio version of track 12, "Late Greats." Also, the files available for download may not represent the final mix. *grumbles incoherently about being so obsessive that I cannot listen to the 11 tracks I have without the entire finished album in hand*

By: dig_duggler

dig_duggler — Sat, 03 Apr 2004 10:46:28 -0800

thanks. soulseek was the place. is it just me or is tweedy not singing on all these tracks (jim o'rourke's fingerprints seem to be all over it)?

By: elvissinatra

elvissinatra — Mon, 05 Apr 2004 04:50:04 -0800

Derek Phillips of Glorious Noise interviews the guys behind Just A Fan. Also, who plays what on A Ghost Is Born (via the band's official site).