Fake Sites

August 4, 2004 10:04 PM

A record label with a long and very proud history. An on-line store for all your evil needs. The only problem is that both are totally made up. And we all thought the IMDB guy had way too much time on his hands.
posted by whoshotwho (8 comments total)

In the same vein: the beloved Gobler Toys.
posted by scody at 10:31 PM on August 4, 2004

Slate on Clubbo.
posted by LinusMines at 10:50 PM on August 4, 2004

SHIT THIS IS GREAT!!
I have to admit that the creation of a fake undiscovered pop history is sort of a quiet private fantasy of mine since highschool. High praise of this site to actually offer mp3s, absolute.

awesome post, wsw.

also of note, is the true life in fantasy story of Mingering Mike.
posted by Peter H at 10:50 PM on August 4, 2004

I once made a fake record label site designed to evoke Maine's majestic shabbiness.

self link, obviously. but it's in the same vein.
posted by Mayor Curley at 4:36 AM on August 5, 2004

So, about Clubbo, can anyone verify that Action Plus exists? Because it seems strange that there's a website for that band, and for none of the others, and if it's that the Clubbo site exists to pimp Action Plus, then they are now my most favoritest band of all time.
posted by Katemonkey at 9:19 AM on August 5, 2004

Hmmmm, initially I would suspect that the band is also a joke...but there's traces of them around on the web...like this interview in 1998.
posted by dejah420 at 11:05 AM on August 5, 2004

One of the members of Action Plus has a side project whose record is available on Amazon. At the point that someone is releasing actual records, I think the question of whether they're "real" or not becomes moot.
posted by kindall at 11:20 AM on August 5, 2004

Dude, just got this email in:

Hi Kate—a friend pointed to your post on MetaFilter, and since membership is currently closed to new users I’m emailing you directly....

Thanks for your kind words about Clubbo! Coming from a professional web designer it’s especially flattering. To answer some of the questions posted:

The band Action Plus did once exist in conventional performing band form. And it still exists in spirit, though nowadays it’s about as real as the other Clubbo artists. The band released two CDs in 1996 and 1997—both will be available again soon via iTunes etc. (We may or may not get around to finishing the third A+ CD. Frankly it’s more fun to make up stuff for new “artists.”)

Please tell whoshotwho that the Clubbo store is real, as is the sampler CD—if you order items they should arrive at your door in perfectly tangible form.

FYI there’s a secret credits page on the Clubbo site with info on the real-life musicians and artists involved. On the home page, click on the left corner of the black footer bar, next to the word “contact.” Or just go here

Now I wish I had money to buy that CD. And the Spooky Bunch t-shirt.
posted by Katemonkey at 11:43 AM on August 5, 2004