Just got the Sonar this week, it's outstanding.
Just got the Sonar this week, it's outstanding.
Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-a...re-happy-hour/
Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
I blame Wynton, what was the question?
There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.
The current plan is YES, but it will (a) take some time to make it happen and (b) there is a certain curiousity to see if doing this helps, hurts or does nothing in terms of sales before we commit to the time to change the settings on 425 titles.....Originally Posted by Hobo Chang Ba
Steve F.
www.waysidemusic.com
www.cuneiformrecords.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin
Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]
"Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"
please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.
^ Understandable. I look forward to seeing what happens.
Please don't ask questions, just use google.
Never let good music get in the way of making a profit.
I'm only here to reglaze my bathtub.
Hey ho! Let's go!
Today is October 16th and the following titles are officially released today:
Raoul Bjorkenheim / eCsTaSy
"Out Of The Blue"
Pixel
"Golden Years"
SONAR
"Black Light"
As previously stated: We hope that this allows you to hear if you would like to buy something while still allowing us to sell you something.
Thanks for your interest!
Steve F.
www.waysidemusic.com
www.cuneiformrecords.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin
Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]
"Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"
please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.
I think it is a good move. It will definitely help me to go through your back catalogue from the last years and pick CDs to order.
I very rarely buy modern (rock) studio recordings these days, so when I decide to get anything I want to be sure it is a right choice. Unfortunately Cuneiform has so few modern live releases, a policy which could be hopefully reconsidered given how popular live recordings have become in recent years (quite deservedly; people got saturated with computer-assembled music, at least outside prog's guarded walls).
As for the archival and (especially) live stuff you put out I am buying it instantly without checking, usually at the local JazzMessengers store, which is very well-stocked with it. So if there is any order planned I will be looking forward to listening to contemporary studio material first.
Just 2 cents from this CD-buying music fan.
Live CDs by 'current' outfits NEVER sold, not even 'back in the day' and they REALLY don't sell now.
Sorry, but there will be no 'reconsidering' doing something guaranteed to fail for us...
Last edited by Steve F.; 10-16-2015 at 09:33 PM.
Steve F.
www.waysidemusic.com
www.cuneiformrecords.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin
Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]
"Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"
please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.
Listened to the eCsTaCy today, loved it, really like being able to play the full album.
Ian
Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on progrock.com
https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-a...re-happy-hour/
Gordon Haskell - "You've got to keep the groove in your head and play a load of bollocks instead"
I blame Wynton, what was the question?
There are only 10 types of people in the World, those who understand binary and those that don't.
Are Curlew, Cheer-Accident or Volapük still 'current'? I would love to see their archival gigs getting an official release (I do not even dare use a word like 'boxset'
And another question: is there any plan to re-press sold-out CD releases like Curlew - "Bee", Dr. Nerve - "Every Screaming Ear" and "Did Sprinting Die?", Arkham - "Arkham" and Grits - "Rare Birds"?
Last edited by Jay.Dee; 10-17-2015 at 08:19 AM.
Won't happen from us. No sales potential. Sadly.
Nothing stops the bands themselves from doing it, but they also have to worry about sales.
No. Again, no sales potential for these releases.
Generally, now, when things go out of print, they stay out of print physically.
Steve F.
www.waysidemusic.com
www.cuneiformrecords.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin
Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]
"Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"
please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.
Just (digitally) picked-up the eCsTaCy album right this minute. Very cool, and reminiscent of my favorite John McLaughlin period: Extrapolation, with some of the urgency of early Lifetime.
well, right on and thank you.
That's the hope of letting people hear the streams. We'll see. I'm cautiously very hopeful.
Steve F.
www.waysidemusic.com
www.cuneiformrecords.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin
Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]
"Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"
please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.
Well, it is a shame there is no (paying) fanbase large enough to support archival live releases of such seminal and important progressive rock bands like Curlew, Cheer-Accident or Volapük.
I wonder how it is that contemporary artists in the equally niche music like avantgarde jazz can enjoy archival live releases and boxes. I do not think that Ken Vandermark, Mats Gustafsson or William Parker are more popular than these three bands, yet there is no problem for them to sell up to a few thousand copies of well-received titles, vide William Parker's "Wood Flute Songs" live box, which was released in Nov 2013 in 1500 copies and is already sold-out.
Are jazz fans more willing to support their cutting edge artists? If I were to judge by local CD/LP stores I would be inclined to say so. In the most popular rock store in Barcelona (Revolver) progressive rock's segment features heavily mainstream artists ("big six" + neo/retro/tribute prog) and to find any Cuneiform or ReR title (there are very few available anyway) one to has go upstairs and wade through an odds'n'sods collection of proto-prog, krautrock, blues/hard/folk/jazz-rock, etc.
How differently the things look at the key jazz store (JazzMessengers). Avantgarde jazz has an entire wing fully dedicated to independent labels (ECM, HatHut, Leo, Intact, Delmark, CleanFeed, AumFidelity, NotTwo, Tzadik, FMP, Jazzland, Ogun, Emanem, etc), with good exposure for new titles (which are immediately stocked) and periodical shelf (and website) expositions dedicated to a particular label's back catalogue. Thankfully Cuneiform belongs to the store's core avant roster, so all visiting customers get a clear message: this is some top-notch stuff which you should check if you are into progressive jazz.
I do not know how many Cuneiform copies JazzMessengers sell but they are always very quick to bring new and restock old jazz-related titles (sometimes even not that jazz-related; I managed to purchase there the most recent Univers Zero's live album). So I guess they must sell no worse than those from more typical avant-jazz imprints.
Still it is a kind of troubling that it takes a jazz store to promote and sell cutting edge rock music among jazz aficionados, as if progressive rock fans were not interested or willing to pay for it. The staff at the store claims that the main stream of revenue is generated by either jazz classics or modern avantgarde; modern jazz mainstream does not sell, no matter how desperately the musicians try to attract attention by re-recording Love Supreme or Sketches of Spain.
I sometimes have a feeling that the affiliation to prog for any forward-looking artist/label is rather a problem than any advantage. This week I was able to catch Ingrid Laubrock Quintet (with Tim Berne and Tom Rainey) in a renown downtown jazz club, but when was the last time when I had a chance to see a Cuneiform or ReR artist in my town? IIRC it was a good few years ago when I saw Cheer-Accident performing in a drinking hole to a handful of listeners.
Local prog promoters have no problems with filling theatres and big clubs for the bands like Transatlantic or Anathema, but they seem to be totally uninterested in giving exposure to more experimental/exploratory rock. When I see how differently cutting edge jazz, indie, punk or alternative music is treated, how their seminal non-commercial artists are honoured, how organizers try to build cultural capital with their concert events, how they are attended, I do come to the conclusion that prog is nothing but a bloody stigma for anyone outside the mainstream's comfort zone. If you are not embraced by any other (non-prog) music community, you are lost on the desert.
It is... just sad.
Last edited by Jay.Dee; 10-17-2015 at 06:32 PM.
There are so many (mostly very good) points raised, I would not know where to begin. But thanks for a great, thoughtful post.
And yes, I would say in general, William Parker has more fans than Cheer-Accident or Volapuk. Or at least more people willing to buy a CD.
Last edited by Steve F.; 10-17-2015 at 07:06 PM.
Steve F.
www.waysidemusic.com
www.cuneiformrecords.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Remember, if it doesn't say "Cuneiform," it's not prog!” - THE Jed Levin
Any time any one speaks to me about any musical project, the one absolute given is "it will not make big money". [tip of the hat to HK]
"Death to false 'support the scene' prog!"
please add 'imo' wherever you like, to avoid offending those easily offended.
"...prog is nothing but a bloody stigma for anyone outside the mainstream's comfort zone."
Amen, Brother Dee. Well stated!
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