"He come to me with money in his hands"

October 1, 2012 1:18 PM

Apparently irritated with their record label dragging feet, Sacramento band Death Grips (previously) 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.
posted by Bookhouse (24 comments total)

Oh, I don't think I linked to it directly, but beware: the album cover is extremely NSFW.
posted by Bookhouse at 1:21 PM on October 1, 2012

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?)
posted by naju at 1:24 PM on October 1, 2012

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.
posted by Blue_Villain at 1:24 PM on October 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

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).
posted by 2bucksplus at 1:25 PM on October 1, 2012 [3 favorites]

Death Grips are one of about 5 bands left that still rep the streets. Bite that hand so badly boys!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 1:36 PM on October 1, 2012

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.
posted by palidor at 1:41 PM on October 1, 2012

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."
posted by cribcage at 1:50 PM on October 1, 2012 [3 favorites]

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.
posted by Blue_Villain at 1:53 PM on October 1, 2012

I don't really like Death Grips, but I'll blindly support anything that rips off major labels.
posted by MetalFingerz at 1:54 PM on October 1, 2012 [1 favorite]

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!"
posted by filthy light thief at 1:58 PM on October 1, 2012 [2 favorites]

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.
posted by carsonb at 2:17 PM on October 1, 2012 [5 favorites]

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.
posted by djseafood at 2:48 PM on October 1, 2012

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.
posted by Jimbob at 3:01 PM on October 1, 2012

Hm. I think I know why the record label wanted to wait to release this.
posted by markkraft at 3:13 PM on October 1, 2012

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.
posted by raihan_ at 3:43 PM on October 1, 2012

*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.
posted by freebird at 3:45 PM on October 1, 2012

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.
posted by zachlipton at 3:46 PM on October 1, 2012

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!!!!!
posted by raihan_ at 4:10 PM on October 1, 2012

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.
posted by ominous_paws at 1:37 AM on October 2, 2012

I've listened to this twice now and it is pretty fucking spectacular.
posted by carsonb at 3:37 PM on October 2, 2012

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.
posted by Bookhouse at 7:10 PM on October 2, 2012

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
posted by carsonb at 12:23 PM on October 4, 2012

"We consider this art." HA!
posted by carsonb at 12:24 PM on October 4, 2012

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?
posted by carsonb at 12:29 PM on October 4, 2012