Honestly it seems really fucking stupid to me that they would refuse to let a label fund their album, then expect their fan base to do it for them. Band is popular, I'm sure they could find a good label to join if they wanted to. I for one won't be giving them any money.

Edit: And then I actually read into it and realized it's a pretty good idea.

Just pull a Death Grips

yeah this sounds messed up

They should figure it out themselves.

I love this band but this is a stupid idea

everytime you refresh the page on their "goal page" another 200$ is added :]

Yeah, they're already popular. They should just do a bandcamp release that'd be sweet.

let's protest it

Kickstarter is meant for those who actually need it my word

Fantastic news, I'll definitely be supporting them.

I don't see this as a bad idea at all. I gave $25.

I've already given them enough of my money.

Not a bad idea, but they should just join an indie label.

And why not? If fans want to contribute why the hell not? The campaign already seems to be working. They're at 28k already.

Agreed with the comments above.

I love this band, but this sounds like a lame attempt at trying to "stick it up to the man" or something. Absolutely pointless if you've already released 3 well received albums on said label.

Crowd-funding is not only valid for people who "need" it. In order to make the music they (and, presumably, their fans) want and make a stable living off of it, they've decided that perhaps funding their records directly from their fans is the best choice. Otherwise, they have to bend over to whatever label they strike a deal with and are back in the same predicament of paying back the advances for the next 10 years.

Even some of the most well-respected AAA game studios have turned to crowd-funding their game projects so that they may sidestep publishers and the inherent problems in their own industry, so that they can make exactly the kind of art they have wanted to make for years. Coincidentally, it's also exactly what the fans want but publishers (like record labels) are risk-aversive.

Take a look at Double Fine's kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/doublefine/double-fine-adventure

or Obsidian Entertainment's kickstarter:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/obsidian/project-eternity

These multi-million-dollar kickstarter projects are a great kick in the balls to publishers/labels/etc to let them know that they aren't needed and that their fans know what they want and will gladly pay in order to get the products they truly desire and have a direct part in its development.

Crowd-sourcing also allows really great packages to be made so that fans can tailor exactly what they want (a signed vinyl? a CD with a t-shirt and a poster? etc) as well as contribute directly to the success of the project, rather than simply donating money on 'good faith' and only hoping for something in return (ie: similar to a record label advance).

Your criticisms are really worthless. I'm not even contributing and I support this. granted the only reason it's working is because this band clearly has their foot in the door already, but so what, good for them.

Maybe the label forced them to make Scurrilous suck hard so this is their way of making a good record
If that's true I'm all in

itchy, these are good points. I just read the full article in the link and I kind of like the idea. Perhaps I commented too quickly.

I think it's a fair idea. All the prices for the contributions seem priced at about what I'd pay for them (well the merch stuff anyway). You're helping out the band and cutting out the middle man.

lol people bitching about this


gonna give em $45 next paycheck i want my name in the liner notes goddammit

Fuck is up with all these bands using kickstarters these days? YOU MOTHERFUCKERS HAVE MORE MONEY THAN ME! I'm on that poverty time.

Otherwise, they have to bend over to whatever label they strike a deal with and are back in the same predicament of paying back the advances for the next 10 years.

They're broke as fuck, they barely make any profit off of their releases, I think this is a great idea and I'm supporting them as a longtime fan. I never thought that Underground Operations were crooks, but I guess they must be screwing Protest over. Bought the vinyl for 45 dollars, they'll reach their goal in 2 or 3 days at this pace.


I just hope it's better than Scurrilous and at least on par with their first two LPs.

itchy POTY

@Deviant: According to the fundraiser page, they are no longer on any label.

So if they're not on a label, and receiving financial backing what's the complaint then?

Love Protest but come on with this.

Yeah fuck labels this is a cool idea never mind
Fans get cool shit unlike those hacks Mindless Self Indulgence

If music labels are anything like game publishers, I like the idea of the creative talent having the opportunity to work free of restrictions, deadlines or limitations. If it means turning to the fans for donations (who, you know, are the people who ultimately pay them back in the end unless they're freeloading pirates)... then so be it.

Some of those perks are pretty funny anyways.

Not sure if any of you watched that video but apparently these advances require payback which they cannot afford, so instead of going further into debt, they are asking for contributions that will not require future payback. I think it's quite smart. They are a popular band but they don't exactly sell an amazing amount of albums

"(who, you know, are the people who ultimately pay them back in the end unless they're freeloading pirates)"

Fuck you I'm poor but I still by merch and go to shows

Hilarious video. I'll contribute.

this thread

http://funnyvale.org/uploads/funnyvale-1342679768.jpg

Why are you guys bitching? Honestly, if you were in their situation, 10 years of being on label support and having to pay back debts, would you want to keep on going in that direction? OR would you use your massive and obviously dedicated fan base for funding and get actual incentive for what you donate?

Everyone who is bitching about this is either a complete retard or doesn't even like this band anyway. In either case, lolu.

Will contribute if they promise to deviate from scurrilios' sound entirely.

Fuck you I'm poor but I still by merch and go to shows

so give them money to make the album, then give them money to buy the album too? hrmmmmmm

They're obviously making something from tour and merch andcas, but it sounds like a lot is going towards their label debts, or at least that's what myself and a few thousand people are getting out of this. They're a talented band that have been around the block a couple times, and they deserve to make more than they do, I think they had only one headlining tour from their last album, so this is the best direction in their opinions and I hope it works.

"so give them money to make the album, then give them money to buy the album too? hrmmmmmm"

are you a fucking retard

Holy shit this video rules did one of these guys go to film school

"Then you must not be that poor. Not like the albums cost much more than the merch and shows."

Someone with metalcore and post-hardcore in their pie chart would have an opinion like this

Trebor, I think someone must have, I mean, just look at this excuse video for a show they had to miss:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fFCONxIl98

This video cost $1,500 to make OK that explains why it looks so good

Ya I heard JJ Abrams helped out with the post prod so I guess you're right

Just donated $25. I feel proud.

bloc our names are going to be in the "thank you" section holy cow

Shut up, this is sweet.

bloc our names are going to be in the "thank you" section holy cow

Haha, I'll see you there buddy.

S'all good, my bad for getting all defensive on you cas, they're one of my favourite bands is all haha

I don't see the issue. This is honestly the best way for records to be made. Fans fund it, they record at a studio with no pressure from a label, cut out the middleman, and the artists don't end up owing an assload of money to the record label.

I threw in 45 bucks for the signed vinyl.

"so give them money to make the album, then give them money to buy the album too? hrmmmmmm"

Actually if you give 10 bucks, you get a free download. So no, you're paying once, and probably less than you would in stores.

what happened to kickstarter?

Protest the Record Industry

wow so many people here are fucking dumb


Every band should do THIS EXACTLY FUCKING THIS once they have enough exposure.

Someone with metalcore and post-hardcore in their pie chart would have an opinion like this

5,000 to be on the album I would do that if Iwas making like 50,000 a year but I'm not

Typical response from someone without an avatar

i like their music but fuck these guys, what a cunt move
their last album wasn't even worth this kind of money

I need to hear all 10 of the "Rody karaoke" songs somehow....

Typical response from someone without an avatar

Also, I wonder if anybody is going to pick the cover option, and if they do, what they're going to pick...

I bet /mu/ will scrap together some money to get them to cover Neutral Milk Hotel, but then again, Protest the Hero is probably way too "pleb" for them.

is pleb short for plebeian?

I think so, and they use "patrician" as a positive term I guess.

lol /mu/

It's a scary place, good for music promotion, that's about it.

holy shit people in this thread

don't like protest, but good for them going direct and not accepting the (possible) bullshit that comes along with signing to a new label.

Fuck this band

Most bands should drop their labels once they have the exposure a band like PTH has, like how Circa Survive decided to fund and promote Violent Waves themselves, I though that was an excellent idea. Kickstarter is cool because it lets the fans promote the band as much as they want and can even get cool stuff like signed copies or their name in the thank you list on the album. Bandcamp/Kickstarter is the way to go for the future, labels just ain't cutting it, most bands on labels make most of their money from touring and selling merch but even then it isn't much, that's what I remember from what Oh Sleeper posted on facebook about how difficult is to make money as a signed band these days.

If they would ever tour the states instead of exclusively Canada, i'd gladly give them some money to see a show.

I support this.

TAXI SEAL OF APPROVAL

"I still can't believe rody sang on an abandon all ships song lol."

Oh fuck no. Damnit Chody.

oh god no

I just gave another $45 for the signed vinyl. It was almost sold out and I had to make a decision.

UGHHHHHHH. I seriously do not like AAS.

They're playing a show in my city, and of course all the local bands go insane trying to get on the bill. My band isn't heavy enough for metalcore shows though, good publicity for the locals though, tons of 13 year old girls will be there with their parents, many t-shirts will be bought.

@zxl It's worth it man, it's the fastest thing going on their fundraiser, plus it will be worth a shit ton a year or so down the road when everyone has the normal CD's and vinyls. I can't wait to see the artwork.

If I had 2 500$ I would totally get them to cover Crimson just for the lulz

the vinyl is tempting but 45$...ugh....

They just sold the last copy of the vinyl dude : (
They made $22,500 for the vinyls ALONE in the past 2 hours, Jesus.

I've now given $70 to this project. It better be fucking good.

damn...

oh well, makes the decision that much easier

this is bullshit what a bunch of cunts, exploiting their fans for mere vanity reasons. Although some of the prizes are pretty cool.

Looks like a fan is going to be featured on the album, wow.

http://puu.sh/1OiLN

The hero PTH deserves.

I'd totally go in there and lay some br00tal vox m/

Just-- how? I'm assuming this guy is between 18-30, either he does alright or he just made an awful financial decision haha

i'd be surprised if all the guest spots didn't get filled tbh

Dude I payed the 5k. Gonna be fucking sweet.

WTF ?

I can see Taxidermist being a song by Protest the Hero.

This isn't fan exploitation, it's a great move.

One of my personal favorite bands, Project 86, did a kickstarter for their most recent album after being on record labels for 15 years, and it was one of the best albums of their career. More creative freedom for the artist, and the fans get to be a part of the process from the beginning (not to mention the fundraiser packages are what most fans would pay for a similar pre-order package anyway). It's just a logical next step for bands with solid fanbases that trust in the delivery of an awesome album. Have my money, Protest.

I will give them 5 pounds if they prove me than their next LP will be at the same level of kezia. If they don't prove me that I'm going to spend my money in blackjack and hookers

Why go through a label if they have a fanbase that will fund it? It's a win-win. Fans get music/perks and the band gets financial support. You guys make no sense.

can't believe somebody bought the 5K prize....

If this "fan exploitation" then isnt making people pay for music (which is essentially what they are doing) exploitation too?

Idiots ITT

dont see how its fan exploitation, isnt 10 dollars the normal price for a digital album..?

"If this "fan exploitation" then isnt making people pay for music (which is essentially what they are doing) exploitation too?"

What the hell are you going on about?

Yeah this is a great idea and I think we're gonna start seeing this a lot more. Especially seeing as how well this is going for PTH so far. They're already at 65,000 and it hasn't been 5 hours yet. That's pretty incredible.

yeah this is great. and that video was awesome haha

This is so much better than a band going through a label. For one, you know the band gets all of the money you give to them. Secondly, you automatically get the album when it comes out plus whatever other goodies you signed up for. I love Kickstarters, but I don't like PtH, so I won't be helping out

Great idea, and wow, they are over the half way mark at $70,000 and it hasn't even been a day. The campaign runs for 30 days. They're going to make this album insane.

"Help Protest the Hero"

Hahahahahahahahahah

I don't get why people are angry they're doing this...I suspect those who are have no idea about the realities of being with a label.

saw the title and immediately said no

No ones gonna see this but, could people actually watch the fucking video and the the description and what not. I was skeptical at first but explains there situation perfectly and I'm so excited that they decided to go this route.

My question is, don't these guys (being a relatively popular band) have enough personal money to pay for this? Just put return back into your pocket. It seems to me that they want the fans to pay for it so that if it bombs they don't lose out on their money. This reeks of "stick it to the man without putting myself in the line of fire". I like this band, I think they write quality records, I just don't think asking your fans for money before they even know if they are going to get quality music out of their investment is cool. I'm sure there are plenty of studios and private friends that would invest into this with simple contracts. They want their cake and to eat it, too.

"My question is, don't these guys (being a relatively popular band) have enough personal money to pay for this?"

That's the point. They don't.

They're broke deadtopain

I find it hard to believe that in the 3 albums they made, with touring, merch, and record sales all taken into account, that they have NO money. Given, They were REALLY young when they signed that contract, so it may have been bloated and bad. My thoughts on it (being someone who has owed labels money and all of that noise), is that, did you need that tour bus? Did you need a ridiculous rider? Did you squander money on hookers and blow. These are all assumptions, and I may be completely wrong. I just don't like the idea of asking fans to produce a product for you. I am thinking about donating $50 just to see what happens, and possibly take part in something that may revolutionize the industry. The other complaint I have is why they have to use Revolution Recording, it's expensive simply because of the name and the artists that have tracked there. Try and find somewhere more affordable. I have known many people and bands that have recorded good sounding, quality albums on barely anything. Asking for almost $100,000 is pretty ballsy. Hey, I might be completely wrong, and this may produce something fantastic. I'm just bringing up thoughts that have gone through my head.

@Deviant they are not with another label. They said (in the well-done video that is on the crowd-funding website) that they are not seeking any label deals and are turning down any offers.

I suggest that everyone does what Bloc did and read/watch the stuff they put on the indiegogo crowd-funding site so that everyone can answer all these questions themselves and avoid confusion. Also, read my earlier post for a short list of reasons why crowd-funding (even for established artists) is really great.

I am a musician and a game developer, so I have done a lot of research and backed a lot of other people's projects, in addition to having used crowd-funding successfully myself and having seen many 'poor' and 'rich' musicians and developers create incredible products as a result of crowd-funding.

I'll probably give them some money. I don't think this record will be any good (wasn't a fan of Scurrilous), but these guys just seem like genuinely fun people and I want them to be able to make their record.

@DeadToPain - "did you need that tour bus? Did you need a ridiculous rider? Did you squander money on hookers and blow"

Your concerns are warranted, but I feel like they are something that can be overcome. Suppose they made a great living off their record sales and touring/merch, then who are we to tell them that they can/cannot spend that money on hookers and blow? It's their money, and they earned it from selling their products and working like anyone else. How is it any different how they spend this crowd-funded money if they deliver an amazing product?

The only difference is that the money comes before the product, which is an unusual thing. We are still getting the product in the end, adnd you get to choose what to pre-order essentially by paying normal price for a CD or vinyl etc.

They even give a full breakdown of their projected expenses and how they arrived at their target fundraising figure, and it includes things like food and minimum-wages for the band in addition to recording costs. So, for example, if I spent $10 on a pre-order digital download of this unreleased album, that money may very well get spent on burgers one night for the band. But that is a dinner they would have needed to pay for in order to create the new record, and it's also money that they would have used anyway to buy dinner one night if it was simply money they earned from a normal album sale. That's what your money does either way, it pays for making new records and pays for the lifestyles of the artists who make their living off of that. The only difference is that the money comes first and you have to hope that the record (in your personal opinion) ends up being worth your money, which is no different than pre-ordering a record before you've heard it or a video game before you've played it.

Quite a while ago, Virus from Norway did the same thing, only they asked the fans to give their money in the form of a pre-order for the album.

In order to be 100% fair to themselves and to their fans, Protest The Hero should do exactly the same, imo.

Well-written. Thank you for taking the time to actually debate something like an adult. That doesn't always happen here. And I see your point, and like I said, I very well may donate $50 just to see what happens. I'm not flush with money right now, so I'd rather invest in them than giving all my money to corporate interests. But, I am also a consumer who rarely buys anyting pre-order or that I haven't heard something about from multiple sources. I guess I just decided at some point that I didn't want bad albums or games simply because I was excited (there are a few bands I make exception to. Nine Inch Nails and Converge, mostly Jacob Bannon art stuff). Maybe that's the reason I'm leery of it, it's not quite in my consumer behavior profile.

Again, thanks for the thoughtful response.

Put me on whichever side is blasting retarded statements like this: "did you need that tour bus? Did you need a ridiculous rider? Did you squander money on hookers and blow"

yes, they need a tour bus. No they don't need a ridiculous rider, and don't have one. They don't squander money on hookers or blow either cause they're poor as fuck, don't really do drugs, and respect women.

This band has attempted to make a living over the past decade by releasing music with major label support. Despite their relative popularity, they have not made very much money from their music at all, so they're trying an alternate approach which this one. All they're trying to do is finance the project themselves so that they reap the benefits, not some execs. Obviously they are pouring any money they have into this, but 5 people cannot alone finance a record. Asking fans for donations is completely fine, especially seeing as it's your choice whether you think they deserve your money. I also like the idea of incentives for high donations like signed records or recording a song about anything you like haha. It's creative, and a very tempting way forward for a lot of bands that are getting screwed over by their corporate bosses.

not gonna get deeper into this argument/thread than that, but I'll just say that this itchy guy is one of the only people talking any sense here.

@DeadToPain No problem, I feel like debating or conversing in any other way is a waste of time and effort. Usually it's getting people to actually read that's the real problem! You are right though, it is the nature of the beast that you have to take a little leap of faith and hope that the effort doesn't turn into a train wreck. All's well that ends well, and so far over the past couple years it seems like these things typically go amazingly well, even for projects that get incredibly over-funded.

@Voivod I think people need to educate themselves about what kickstarter and crowd-funding actually is, before saying or thinking anything.

These aren't "donations" any more than a pre-order is. In fact, these kinds of things are basically customizable pre-orders. Sure, you can say "here's $100 as a donation" but what most people do is subscribe to the packages that are things like "$10 for a digital download" or "$25 for a CD digipack" or "$45 for a signed limited print vinyl". That is a pre-order, but that money is used immediately to allow these guys to live, eat, and record a new record.

Seriously though, 99% of everyone's questions and concerns with crowd-funding are easily answered by reading what kickstarter and such sites are really like. Actually watching the darn videos and read the highly-detailed profiles these guys took so much time and effort to create so that people could educate themselves and make informed decisions.

According to some quick math people have donated 47.3 dollars on average. Obviously that's skewed by the two crazy asses that downloaded 5,000+ but still, pretty damn generous.

I probably wouldn't straight up donate, but I'd check the website to see what sort of things I could get for a modest amount of cash.

this was well-thought out, well presented, and honestly just pretty damn cool. i wish PTH every bit of success. have $25

additional thoughts after watching that video:

-fuck I love this band, they're always funny, and have great taste in music (LYSF on the wall behind Arif omg)
-this makes so so so so sooooo much sense. All it is, is you tell the band, yes I want to buy your album. Here is the money, now go make it and give me a CD or Record or whatever you paid for when it's done!
-I knew how the music industry functioned, but that video actually broke it down in a really simple way that brought up an interesting point: If a band has a big enough fanbase that their fans will buy their music, why not let that fund the album are leave out record companies and their cash advances.
-Many people are under the misconception that record labels just give bands thousands of dollars to record, then split the sales with them. That's not it at all. Any money the band gets from the label must be paid back IN FULL before the band members themselves make any money.

This is definitely the way forward, and anyone who is saying "this is dumb, kickstarts should be for people that need the money" should watch the video and read the links itchy posted.

I am 100% behind this idea and think that it is the future. Record Labels have been ruining artistic integrity for too long, and this is a great, progressive way to cut out an unnecessary and greedy middleman. I have bought all 3 PTH CDs so far, and wasn't even planning on buying the next one, but I will because I want to support this project. Great stuff.

@itchy

Yeah, kickstarter and crowdfundind are also good options, but Protest The Hero are nothing like an underground band making its first steps in the music industry.

In order to accept money you got to give something back in terms of some king of pact and customizable pre-orders, complemented with a reasonable profit percentage, in order for the band to make a living, are imo the perfect deal for every party involved.

Best band out of Canada

Voivod you're missing the way that this project works completely.

FromDaHood lol

Voivod you're missing the way that this project works completely.

Nope.

In the indiegogo link, the new album is available in various formats, in the form of a "pre-order", which is exactly what I wrote in my posts.

$125,000 haha

30 days to go and already 93,000 is impressive though.

In the indiegogo link, the new album is available in various formats, in the form of a "pre-order", which is exactly what I wrote in my posts.

@Dev

It's not pre-order in the exact sense of the term, but it is a variant of it, at least that's how I see it.




The video of these guys is really well thought and structured, I'm thinking about helping them myself, even though I have come across their previous material on rare occasions.

Not really, because to pre-order something that something would have to exist, there would be content. This is an investment

@Dev

PTH say in their video that they spent quite some time in pre-producing their new material, so the content is there and it must be recorded properly with the right amount of budget.

Man they're gonna hit the goal in no time. I'll probably throw in 10$ myself, despite the fact that the last album let me down.

not gonna give anything but will reap the rewards of all of you good people's hard work and money

Holy shit some people actually donated $5,000 those are some hardcore fans.

rody's mom?

just looked at the prizes, some of them are really neat actually

The difference is that with a record deal they have to repay the loan and won't see any money from album sales until that money is repaid.
With kickstarter etc they're free to make pure profit and its not as if the fans dont get something in return so why not? I genuinely think this is going to become increasingly popular for mid level bands

Pizza party for 1250 dollar lol. Band's cool tho so it's good to see they'll reach their goal

Lol two people claimed guest spots on the new record. Wonder what happens if they can't sing...

The pizza party option was fucking stupid, though.

PTH say in their video that they spent quite some time in pre-producing their new material, so the content is there and it must be recorded properly with the right amount of budget.

yes, it is an investment (as Deviant said) that their fans are willing to make, having faith that the product will be good.

"Yes, that's why they need money..."

I'm sure they are putting in what they have (why wouldn't they?), and the $125,000 figure is the extra amount that they decided they need to record their next album. It's a pretty modest request really, not sure if you're trying to imply that they're greedy or...

"Nope."

ah ok fair enough, I think I misunderstood something you said (@voivod)

DAFUQ IS THIS

I'd rather... donate to charity? or some other beneficial cause?

So many idiots in this thread. Learn how the industry works before shooting your mouth off.

Protest the Hero are most likely in a lot of debt because they failed to reach the CD sales in their
contract. This is probably the only way they could offer music of the same caliber and production
value.

This is basically paying in advance for an album. What's the big deal?

Thanks, D! You raised the campaign total to: $101,162!

There are so many great bands and artists that could still be here today if only they knew to go this way.
Much love to PTH for showing everyone that it is possible!

Pretty awesome that they made it to 80% of their goal in one day. Guess that means we'll be getting a
well produced album!

Pretty awesome that they made it to 80% of their goal in one day.[2]

The League of Ordinary gentlemen prize sounds cool but they don't usually visit Belgium when they tour, unfortunately

Seems fair enough to me, Music industry is pretty messed up as he said

this is cool, yea

and that video is awesome lol

"DAFUQ IS THIS

I'd rather... donate to charity? or some other beneficial cause?"

wow... so you actually didn't even open the link. for the minimal contribution of $10 you actually pre-order the digital version of the new album and get it before the official release date. it's not a donation.

how on earth could this be a bad idea? i think this is the best possible way to make an album, although you obviously need a decent fanbase before you can pull this off.

Seems like theyre going to reach their goal in only one day. Wow. Good for them.

yeah i don't see why so many assholes have a problem with this, but doesn't matter cuz they'll prob reach their goal in a matter of hours.

Sure I'll waste my valuable money on a band I don't give a living damn about all because they wanna be self-made.

Sounds perfectly reasonable.

What the hell are you guys talking about?

Granted I'm not the biggest PtH fan, but damn some people here are just idiots.

This is a great idea and seems to be a future way of marketing your product. You're funding the album developing process. The more money they get, the better the album is.

I don't see the problem.

In all honesty, I was being sardonic.

Anyways, it's a fine way to do it.

hahaha fuck this band.

They're already within $6k of making it happen. Wow.

They already hit their goal and it's been less than 24 hours, wow.

This. Is. Great. $129,996. so far. As said, you need a decent fanbase to do this but this idea is genious. It would suck if the album ended up being a disappointment but, me personally, I'd give them money just for what they have already done and all the awesome ideas and funny things they do. These guys are very talented and deserve the money for the effort they put through.

Hope the music industry sees this and how well it is working, how many bands are using this method along with bands that will try this later on and are forced to change how they do business. You can have some of my money.

and this...may be the future of indie EVERYTHING (music,games, technology) if this first wave of *mainstream* crowd funding is quality (looking at you star citizen, obsidian game company, ouya)

Oh, and my compliments to Aids and itchy for the reasonably enlightening conversation. Didn't know it was possible to have a decent conversation on Sputnik

Shit like this is acceptable when it's a small band asking for money, not a big band that just decided to drop from a label, but
bands that were never signed to one to begin with

think of it this way, it's the fans paying (at significantly lower rates) for the new album that would in all likelihood be more awesome than if PTH would still be on their label.

Here I was thinking 125k was a bit too much to ask for. Made it in a fucking day. if I was in PTH now I'd either party for days about it or feel so much pressure to give all those people the best album possible.

watch for other bands to do this now

If this is the future of music, I'm alright with it. Bands the size of Deftones or Slipknot obviously shouldn't take advantage of this, but smaller bands with dedicated fan bases deserve this.

It's basic supply and demand. People obviously want this, and it isn't like the band are exploiting anyone. In fact, there is more choice!

Hellyeah!

Wow 141K. Yeah I think this is great. The fans honestly get more for their money this way with the proceeds directly benefiting the band and not a label. Anyone who thinks this is a bad idea is an idiot. Donating 10 gets you the album which is what it would cost to buy it in a store anyway

Never heard this band

The truth is, most people don't actually realize how little money their favorite artists make. I'm not talking about Lady Gaga, or whatever, but bands and artists, even as relatively popular as Protest are... aren't making a lot of money.

The truth is, most people don't actually realize how little money their favorite artists make. I'm not talking about Lady Gaga, or whatever, but bands and artists, even as relatively popular as Protest are... aren't making a lot of money.

Getting a little bit of money from being an artist of this sort stopped back in the 90's. It's been a rapid decline ever since.

@andcas

If you look down at the bottom of the IndieGoGo page, you can see a breakdown of where each bit of money is going.

this is a super dumb idea. they already pay them by buying their records, now they want more?

"Never heard this band"

really!?

andcas you are so dumb an inconsistent with your accusations that it hurts my soul. Learn to listen to reason and be open to learning new things.

"this is a super dumb idea. they already pay them by buying their records, now they want more?"

*facepalm. for the millionth time: THIS IS NOT HOW IT WORKS!!!! actually do some research into what they're trying to accomplish here before you make unsubstantiated claims.

No label means additional freedom which hopefully means that this will be their most insane-sounding effort yet

should be amazing

So yea hey andcas hey

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/42706/Protest-the-Hero-Scurrilous/

"this is a super dumb idea. they already pay them by buying their records, now they want more?"


Bands don't make shit from fans buying records if they're on a label. Bandcamp is one of the few ways a band can make all the proceeds from the records they sell.

ty did too, irc

I think you're dumb for not seeing things my way. opinions!

Not really. Most people here are speaking out of ignorance.

Guys, PTH aren't even that popular. Certainly no more popular than say, Thursday who broke up because they couldn't afford to still be a band. You don't start making actual, decent, livable money u til you're MUCH more popular

Whats worse obvious trolls or the people who argue with them.

This its awesome btw, I'm the kind of fan who looks forward to an album and at the same time wonder if it will be their last since the rewards for being a band making good music is p pretty much debt.

Actually, if you fund it $10 or $15 or whatever, you get a copy of the album. So, really, you're just buying the album through crowd funding instead of through label funding.

lol they've already met their goal of $125,000 plus another $25,000 dollars currently and there's still 29 days left gdamn.

"I think you're dumb for not seeing things my way. opinions!"

you don't get to play that card here. There is a discussion taking place, and most people that are actually reading the various arguments for and against are deciding that this is actually a pretty good idea (I saw red flags at first too, but a bit of reading quickly changed that). It's impossible to talk to you because you just repeat your same point over and over, without stopping to realize that if you knew what you were talking about (ie: read the links, watch the video), you would have more to talk to us about, and would actually understand the issue here.

Most people on this thread are completely missing how this works (you included andcas, at least I think). You go to the page and pre-order the album for at least $10. You can buy/donate more obviously, but that's the minimum. Then, the band takes this money and records their album. When it is finished, they "pay back" the people who "donated" to them, by giving them what they paid for. It's simple, and impossible to fathom why anyone would be against this.

I feel like most people are seeing and thinking that some popular (and therefore OBVIOUSLY rich) band is trying to get donations that they don't need, so they can continue to fuck around in an expensive studio and live lives of luxury. That's not it at all. They have decided that they need X amount of dollars to record an album, and any money coming in from this system will be only used for that.

After having read and understood that, could someone who thinks this is a stupid idea please explain to me why?

K-O.

i used to hate this crowdfunding bullshit, but then i realized if people are donating to make the album happen what the fuck is the difference? you let the record label rape them and you end up spending $10 or you donate to give them freedom and you still end up paying $10.

unless you pirate but you're just a fag in that case

Another illogical point I see repeated throughout here is the notion that however much money they get is more than you would need to record an album. This money is not only the obvious money needed for studio time and production costs, this money is their income as a band.

An album purchased in a store results in (very little) money going toward the band members. Until the recording costs are covered, the band makes nothing. Crowd-funding results in both the recording-related costs AND the paychecks of the musicians are taken care of beforehand... not just the recording costs. PTH even detail that out in their cost-breakdown and include food/living/wages stuffs.

When you buy a record in the store, do you think that the money only goes toward those recording costs? Of course not, you expect that the (little) money the band makes from that sale goes into their pockets as income so that they can pay rent and buy food like anyone else.

Again, crowd-funding is no different than normal album/merch sales except for the order of operations. What is the difference if a band makes $500,000 off of record sales or if they make $500,000 off of crowd-funding? Both result in paychecks for the musicians and an album for the fans, except this way they can keep a much larger cut and get creative freedom.

Yeah you got it itchy.

I can only imagine how happy the guys in the band are, reaching their goal in less than a day. After going through years of being on a label, basically always having that thought in the back on their minds "okay, this much has to go to the label, and this is how much we can use for this, etc". Obviously most of the donations are going into the album itself, promotion, getting the music out there, touring.

The only difference is that they won't have anyone telling them what they have to do, and they'll get to choose where the money goes. I really hope this works out for them, I think this will get them a ton of publicity and will become their most accessible album to date.

Also, how can people think this is a bad idea, seriously. Put yourself in their shoes. I seriously don't understand certain mindsets of people.

added 25

god damn people here are dumb

at this moment they are at 157K, fuck the non believers

"Not a bad idea, but they should just join an indie label."

they just left an indie you fucking mouthbreather

A lot of you guys REALLY don't get what kind of money these guys pull in. Look at Lamb of God. LoG is a more popular band with greater record sales and those guys aren't exactly living in mansions. The reason is simple. Bands get a small cut compared to the other components of the machine and then there's the advance money they have to pay off. Seriously, if you guys would just watch the video the band actually explains all this pretty well to anyone who didn't already know. I'd like to see any of you make a mathcore album that even makes more than the cost of the laptop you recorded it on...

....and why in the world are people still donating?

"they just left an indie you fucking mouthbreather"

fucking lol, I like this kid's logic.

rome was fucking built in a day, apparently

people are still donating for the perks

. .- - / -- -.-- / .- ... ... / --- .-.. - -. .- / .. .----. .-.. .-.. / -.. --- / .-- .... .- - / .. / .-- .- -. - / -... . -.-. .- ..- ... . / .. .----. -- / .- / ..-. .-. . . / ... .--. .. .-. .. - / .- -. -.. / -.. --- -. .----. - / -. . . -.. / -. --- / -- .- -. / .- --. .-. . . .- -. -.-. . / -... -.-- / ..-. --- -..- -..- -..- -.--

andcas is that seriously your response to my direct question at you? you wonder why I dislike you most of the time, don't you? It's cause whenever someone raises a valid point, instead of entering into a civil, rational discussion about it, you just write some shit post and run away with your tail between your legs, scratching your head at how we could actually write paragraphs (full paragraphs, imagine that!) in hopes of having a rewarding discussion.

And this is why Aids is still one of the world's deadliest killers

I didn't know they have that many fans.

"do they really need 141K to record an album?"

it's gonna propably go to somewhere between 200k-300k. heck, maybe even higher.

is it needed for recording an album? no. i don't give a flying f* about what they do with the rest of their (well-earned) money. i get what i paid for, and that's all that matters to me.

ANDCAS IS TIRED OF BEING BULLIED

The truth is, most people don't actually realize how little money their favorite artists make. I'm not talking about Lady Gaga, or whatever, but bands and artists, even as relatively popular as Protest are... aren't making a lot of money.

The truth is, most people don't actually realize how little money their favorite artists make. I'm not talking about Lady Gaga, or whatever, but bands and artists, even as relatively popular as Protest are... aren't making a lot of money.

Music is fucked.

SabertoothMonocle: "....and why in the world are people
still donating?"
tvaurio: "it's gonna propably go to somewhere between
200k-300k. heck, maybe even higher. Is it needed for
recording an album? no. i don't give a flying f* about
what they do with the rest of their (well-earned) money.
i get what i paid for, and that's all that matters to me."

Q&A right there Sabertooth. Tvaurio hit it on the head.

People aren't "donating" they are pre-purchasing the
album (or merch etc) that they would be purchasing
anyway come album-release, and thus funding the
record and financing the lives of the musicians the way
that it should be and would be regardless.

I realize that the people who are too lazy to just
read/watch the readily-accessible details about PTH's
campaign (aka the link right in the post) are also
gonna be too lazy to read all of the answers to their
questions that have been posted already on this board.
I'll keep trying, though -.-

Anything past the $1,000 is awesome. haha Can't see anyone paying that kind of coin, but if someone did, would they deliver?

if you did you get a motherfuckin pizza party

PIZZA PARTY.

PIZZA PARTY. [2]

That caught my eye too. haha

I think it's unfair to say stuff like "fuck the labels", especially in cases like these. PTH, Trent Reznor, Radiohead, etc - all these bands have had (mainstream) exposure due to their professional relationships with their previous (major) labels. Yes, you get either make it big or you get screwed over or you do just fine and fullfill your contract/get dropped, but there is one thing you always get that most bands don't - the marketing/promotion power, exposure, resources and connections that record labels have.

I highly doubt that without having been on a label, Radiohead wouldn't have the independent success they're having right now. Neither would PTH raise this crazy amount of money in 24h (or they would, you never know)

''Donating 10 gets you the album which is what it would cost to buy it in a store anyway''

THIS

Nick, obviously PTH would have never made it without the label supporting them upfront on their first 3 albums. But at the same time they were barely scraping by and making very little pocket change. They don't owe the labels shit. Business is business. You fulfill your contract and then they dont own you. If they want to go completely independent and fund this album through their fans then more power to them.

@Popabubb that's exactly right. Why does everyone treat being a musician or a band as anything different than any other job that you do to earn a living?

If you're a skilled individual who loves what you do, but you hate your current job because your boss is shafting you and treating you like crap... you can quit. You quit and find a similar position that will treat you well and appreciate your talents. Sometimes, that means going it on your own and starting your own business.

It sounds silly, but the fact the band reached their goal so quickly and continues to get donations even right now makes me believe that there truly is good in the world.

I can't wait for the vinyl to come in the maiiiiiil hooooollllllllllyyyyy

They are just such a great group of guys, Arif is the best role model ever to myself as a bassist and the whole group is hilarious, they deserve every penny they get from this, and I have no doubt that this album will be in my top 5 of the year -- with recording in Revolution studios, the production is going to be amazing.

IT IS NOT A DONATION! THEY GET A FRIGIN ALBUM out of IT, CHEAPER THAN IF THEY GOT IT THRU NON iLLEGAL MEANS AT LAUNCH

THE CAPS SPEAK THE TRUTH!



like star citizen, that game is probably going to be like 50-60 bucks at launch, guess what I am getting it for? 30$

Keyra Agustina, it is a donation.

I honestly won't be surprised if they hit 300,000 before this is over.

Hate this idea, stupid fucks can't they get the money on their own?!2
Just kidding. Once again I'll just reiterate the point that if people are completely willing to donate, then why not do this? It's not like they just throw in some money and don't get anything. I'd do the vinyl if I liked them more/wasn't broke.

someoone bought the pizzza party perk ahaha

Did anybody actually watch the video? I think this is a great idea. Although less popular bands are going to go down faster if this idea takes over.

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/172ny7/i_am_a_protest_the_hero_ama/

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/pthofficial


They're doing some kind of livestream thing at 1pm est.

now they say 130pm lol

Raised $317,928
of $125,000 Goal

Raised $317,928
of $125,000 Goal

Holy shit they made so much bank from this.

They are about to have a fun year.

Meh, yeah that escalated quickly.

I can't believe some people dropped $5,000

And, if you do, they pay for everything but transportation? If I spent $5,000 on that, I'd want EVERYTHING paid for.

Holy fucking shit! :0