Crowd funding for the new MEGADETH album

I am a huge Megadeth fan, but this is complete horseshit. If he had not made any money or simply did not have industry support, then I understand crowd funding, but he could easily grab a distribution for his label for the next Megadeth album, he can easily get a promoter to package a tour as a headliner in mid size venues or co-headline a tour.

This is not like Raven or Anvil, who may need this kind of support.

I figure I don't have to support it so i'm not that worked over it. Hey, if you can make some moolah in the industry these days, why not?

Megadeth isn't even the most surprising example of a group who has done this.

TLC, the girl group who were megastars in the 1990s (their first album went four times platinum, the second one when diamond, and the third one went six times platinum), are even doing this. You'd think they would be set for life and be able to afford to do it all by themselves. Nope. They're doing it, too.

Required Fields wrote:

Megadeth isn't even the most surprising example of a group who has done this.

TLC, the girl group who were megastars in the 1990s (their first album went four times platinum, the second one when diamond, and the third one went six times platinum), are even doing this. You'd think they would be set for life and be able to afford to do it all by themselves. Nope. They're doing it, too.

Yeah but weren't tlc one of those groups that were put together by some music mogul who probably signed them all to a salaried contract and any money they made would have gone to the label while they simply dished out a salary to the girls. I could be completely wrong of course but like a lot of these big pop groups that have sprung up in recent years are just nobodies put together and marketed well by a label/mogul and they are just paid salaries. Don't get me wrong I'm sure they aren't paid peanuts but it's nothing compared to the cash the labels are making off these types of groups.

So, once the party is over they aren't left with millions in the bank and in the case of tlc no label is probably interested anymore as their popularity has waned and their ship has long sailed away so this is likely the only way they could get a record made.

This is not crowdfunding in the "traditional" sense. This is just a way for bands to make money (i.e. recoup recording costs) via preorders and other special items. If someone wants to pay $50 for an autographed CD and behind-the-scenes footage, so be it.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Since it's not a traditional Kickstarter campaign to raise recording funds, I think it's just a way of deferring some of the cost of the actual recording and production of the album. With Dave handling his own label now, he's realizing all the costs that the record company used to cover is now coming out of HIS pocket and it's expensive.

I'm not saying it's right or fair to exploit the fans, but on the other hand, noone's forcing us to pay either. Unless he holds the record hostage and makes us cough-up inflated prices, I'll get mine the same way I've been doing, either on-line or at a store.

It's perfectly fair. No one is being exploited here; you don't have to pay $25 for a CD, just buy it in a store at regular price. But some people might want to pay that much and get all the behind-the-scenes footage. Done right, it can definitely be worth the money. The first Pledge Music campaign Ginger Wildheart did was a perfect example of how paying a little more can be worth the extra money.

Either way, nothing wrong with this approach. Millions of "fans" will illegally download the album, so the band will attempt to counter that by getting a few hundred or thousand to preorder and pay a little more for additional content.

I'm really curious as to how much illegal downloading is cutting into sales vs. things like Youtube and other streaming sites at this point. Maybe it's just naivety on my part, but there aren't nearly as many torrent sites in 2015 as there were in even 2008 - at least not as many I'd risk my computer by turning my web browser to (you know, the ones that actually link to torrents instead of malware) and I know considerably fewer people and hear of considerably fewer people who actually download. I do when I'm hunting for samples of a new (to me) artist's work before laying out cash or when I'm hunting for something out of print, but I wonder how much the age of the "guy with terrabytes of stolen music as his only collection" thing is actually more of an illusion that's gone away by now.

I'm not saying these people DON'T exist, but it seems like the casual listeners are all on Youtube and Spotify now rather than spending time and energy hunting dodgy torrent sites for things.

As for the crowd funding thing, it's an awesome idea, but when you have bands that can afford their own production costs (and where the fans aren't ignorant to this fact), it's not exactly going to drive the trend back towards buying physical product or create goodwill amongst the buying public. Just my take though. I didn't mind paying $25 for the new Arthur Brown and getting behind the scenes stuff because I knew that guy needed the help. I'm not interested in throwing money at people who are more than comfortable and self-contained in the same way.

Eyesore wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Since it's not a traditional Kickstarter campaign to raise recording funds, I think it's just a way of deferring some of the cost of the actual recording and production of the album. With Dave handling his own label now, he's realizing all the costs that the record company used to cover is now coming out of HIS pocket and it's expensive.

I'm not saying it's right or fair to exploit the fans, but on the other hand, noone's forcing us to pay either. Unless he holds the record hostage and makes us cough-up inflated prices, I'll get mine the same way I've been doing, either on-line or at a store.

It's perfectly fair. No one is being exploited here; you don't have to pay $25 for a CD, just buy it in a store at regular price. But some people might want to pay that much and get all the behind-the-scenes footage. Done right, it can definitely be worth the money. The first Pledge Music campaign Ginger Wildheart did was a perfect example of how paying a little more can be worth the extra money.

Either way, nothing wrong with this approach. Millions of "fans" will illegally download the album, so the band will attempt to counter that by getting a few hundred or thousand to preorder and pay a little more for additional content.

I agree with all of this. As much as Mustaine annoys me and as little as I really care about Megadeth these days, I see no problem with this. The album is coming out regardless and you will likely be able to buy it on Amazon for $9.99 the day it's released, just like most other new mainstream CDs.

They are just offering people extra stuff if they want to preorder through their thing here. I never even look at the bonus content for stuff I pledge to through kickstarter or whatever to help fund an album, so this deal is not anything I'd go in for. But I don't see anything wrong with a band offering you something extra if you want to preorder and pay extra. It's all a choice, and the album is coming out regardless so....I don't really even see the point of complaining?

Maybe if he was like, "we need your help to ensure a new MD album can happen. If you want a new record, you gotta preorder for $25". Then, yes, I would 100% agree with any complaining.

Yea, I can't see getting worked up over this. In my mind, he's just doing something extra to offset production costs and give the fans something extra if they want it. I don't believe he's doing this just to line his pockets from gullible fans.

ZombieHavoc wrote:

Maybe if he was like, "we need your help to ensure a new MD album can happen. If you want a new record, you gotta preorder for $25". Then, yes, I would 100% agree with any complaining.

Hmm... Point taken. I rescind my previous bitch fest.

I think every metal band who is not named METALLICA or IRON MAIDEN is not doing very well financially.

Temple of Blood wrote:

I think every metal band who is not named METALLICA or IRON MAIDEN is not doing very well financially.

Slayer seems to be doing pretty well. At least for Kerry, Tom and their management... And Sabbath are doing good too, including what would've been Bill Ward's cut.

We all know whatever Ozzy makes goes to Sharon.

Even Kerry has a side job and Ozzy had to resort to reality shows and a BS reunion.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Even Kerry has a side job and Ozzy had to resort to reality shows and a BS reunion.

Metallica has resorted to making a couple movies and a failed music festival.

That movie Metallica made was not a smart business decision as the box office totals show...

Metallica Through the Never

Domestic Total Gross: $3,419,967
Distributor: Picturehouse (II) Release Date: September 27, 2013
Genre: Drama Runtime: 1 hrs. 33 min.
MPAA Rating: R Production Budget: $18 million

Total Lifetime Grosses
Domestic: $3,419,967 42.9%
+ Foreign: $4,553,000 57.1%
= Worldwide: $7,972,967

S.D. wrote:

That movie Metallica made was not a smart business decision as the box office totals show...

Metallica Through the Never

Domestic Total Gross: $3,419,967
Distributor: Picturehouse (II) Release Date: September 27, 2013
Genre: Drama Runtime: 1 hrs. 33 min.
MPAA Rating: R Production Budget: $18 million

Total Lifetime Grosses
Domestic: $3,419,967   42.9%
+ Foreign: $4,553,000   57.1%
= Worldwide: $7,972,967

Right. They lost money on the movie and also with the Orion music festival.

Temple of Blood wrote:

Even Kerry has a side job and Ozzy had to resort to reality shows and a BS reunion.

What side job does Kerry have?

http://www.metalsucks.net/2015/04/15/testament-and-exodus-frontmen-talk-about-their-crappy-day-jobs/

S.D. wrote:

That movie Metallica made was not a smart business decision as the box office totals show...

Metallica Through the Never

Domestic Total Gross: $3,419,967
Distributor: Picturehouse (II) Release Date: September 27, 2013
Genre: Drama Runtime: 1 hrs. 33 min.
MPAA Rating: R Production Budget: $18 million

Total Lifetime Grosses
Domestic: $3,419,967   42.9%
+ Foreign: $4,553,000   57.1%
= Worldwide: $7,972,967

Illegal downloads: 48,456,091

Temple of Blood wrote:

http://www.metalsucks.net/2015/04/15/testament-and-exodus-frontmen-talk-about-their-crappy-day-jobs/

There's no mention of Kerry King's day job.

Maybe Kerry worked at a Burger King when he was in high school.

Wayne wrote:

Required Fields wrote:

Megadeth isn't even the most surprising example of a group who has done this.

TLC, the girl group who were megastars in the 1990s (their first album went four times platinum, the second one when diamond, and the third one went six times platinum), are even doing this. You'd think they would be set for life and be able to afford to do it all by themselves. Nope. They're doing it, too.

Yeah but weren't tlc one of those groups that were put together by some music mogul who probably signed them all to a salaried contract and any money they made would have gone to the label while they simply dished out a salary to the girls. I could be completely wrong of course but like a lot of these big pop groups that have sprung up in recent years are just nobodies put together and marketed well by a label/mogul and they are just paid salaries. Don't get me wrong I'm sure they aren't paid peanuts but it's nothing compared to the cash the labels are making off these types of groups.

So, once the party is over they aren't left with millions in the bank and in the case of tlc no label is probably interested anymore as their popularity has waned and their ship has long sailed away so this is likely the only way they could get a record made.

Boy, I didn't realize that was a video and not just a stupid photo. First, what an OBNOXIOUS turd! Jesus. Three seconds is all I could take before I wanted to smack the smarmy, ignorant prick in his face.

TLC might have had some hits, broke records, and sold millions of albums, but it is widely known that they had one of the a shittiest record contracts in the history of music, where not only the bulk of the money went to executives and such, but the band had to pay for every single expense out of pocket. Pretty sure they never made—or made little—more than the average McDonald's worker's annual income. One of the most famous groups of all time, and they made next to nothing.

Someone explain that to the dildo who recorded the video.

Temple of Blood wrote:

I think every metal band who is not named METALLICA or IRON MAIDEN is not doing very well financially.

You know what, I have zero sympathy for established metal bands that are not making tons of cash these days. I've just finished reading David Ellefsons book and I've also read mustaine's and megadeth have had some huge pay days and several years before the Internet of big album sales. If these guys are broke then it's their own fault for drinking, injecting and snorting all their money over the years. Same goes for the ozzys, motley crues and any other similar bands who've had big careers.

I also think musicians can be too greedy at times. Lombardo left slayer after finding out that on one tour the band made over 2 million and he was paid like 50k. Well first off 50k is my salary and I have to work my ass off in a job that I don't love all year to get that. Having said that if slayer really did make that much then I fully support lombardos argument he should have made more but if slayer can make this much in current times from one tour then Kerry king hardly needs a day job. Theirs plenty of metal bands I can think of that would pull a bigger crowd than slayer so I would say a lot of metal stars are doing ok financially.

The people I would really feel for are new bands starting now as I do think in today's world it's much harder to make money from music than it ever has been. Touring is where the money is but how does a new band get a big enough following to do big profitable tours without selling records and today's music fans think they can have stuff for free and will download albums or if they do buy music it's just the odd song of iTunes or a spotify subscription.

Wayne wrote:

Temple of Blood wrote:

I think every metal band who is not named METALLICA or IRON MAIDEN is not doing very well financially.

You know what, I have zero sympathy for established metal bands that are not making tons of cash these days. I've just finished reading David Ellefsons book and I've also read mustaine's and megadeth have had some huge pay days and several years before the Internet of big album sales. If these guys are broke then it's their own fault for drinking, injecting and snorting all their money over the years. Same goes for the ozzys, motley crues and any other similar bands who've had big careers.

I also think musicians can be too greedy at times. Lombardo left slayer after finding out that on one tour the band made over 2 million and he was paid like 50k. Well first off 50k is my salary and I have to work my ass off in a job that I don't love all year to get that. Having said that if slayer really did make that much then I fully support lombardos argument he should have made more but if slayer can make this much in current times from one tour then Kerry king hardly needs a day job. Theirs plenty of metal bands I can think of that would pull a bigger crowd than slayer so I would say a lot of metal stars are doing ok financially.

The people I would really feel for are new bands starting now as I do think in today's world it's much harder to make money from music than it ever has been. Touring is where the money is but how does a new band get a big enough following to do big profitable tours without selling records and today's music fans think they can have stuff for free and will download albums or if they do buy music it's just the odd song of iTunes or a spotify subscription.

But when you're in a band that big, you're not pocketing all that money; you have ridiculous expenses, which includes tons of employees. Maybe Slayer did make over $2 million, but how much did the band take home? Maybe Dave got $50K, but did Kerry and Tom net millions? Doubtful.