Plenty of posts and blogs talk about “transparency” in the music business. How Artist’s need to be in direct connection with their fans. Part of the “Conversation”. It’s all buzzwords until it’s real: My continuing adventure with Devo and Devo Inc.
Watch the message, and contribute to the Devo inc color study now!
They blog, they twitter, and its not lame.
www.mychemicalromance.com
Very cool to see the band use tools to talk to fans and each other! Strangely, their transparency leads to increasing the persona and mysteriousness of the band in a cool way, especially when they are having conversations with each other on their own site!
It’s also a great example of how bands work with WBR. There’s an amazing guy named Jeff who works in new media, and has been working with the band from day one. He believed in this band before many others did, and has stuck with them all the way, building trust, and keeping everyone at Warner Bros honest to the bands vision. He recently worked with the band to build them this new site, and the result is something special, artistic and fun!
Take a read, and tell me your thoughts.
Follow the band here:
www.twitter.com/gerardway
www.twitter.com/raytoro
www.twitter.com/bobbryar
www.twitter.com/michaeljamesway
Jack White created something incredible with his band The Racounteurs. Their live shows have the fire of Led Zepplin and the Who. They change up their set, improvise, and are touring behind Consolers of the Lonely, one of the best albums in the last ten years.
This band is hardly transparent the way new media blogs, and “indie” artists talk about today – no twittering from Jack White.
I was sitting with some fine folks from Zappos, the kings of transparency and customer service, and as we discussed Twitter and the ecommerce biz, I was making the point that some bands should not be “transparent”. A bold instance on Mystery and perfecting ones musical craft should be allowed. (I DO think they convinced my boss to start twittering!)
Awhile back at the Henry Fonda Theatre (and again, last week at the Greek), I watched The Raconteurs improvise an extended intro to one of my favorite songs from their new album and I was blown away by the direction they took the song live. The fact they dared to explore new (old?) textures to a song I loved was mysterious, and at the same time transparent, revealing the hidden melodies within the song and perhaps how the song was created in the first place. Old school transparency – were just going to Rock!
Twenty years from now I hope the Raconteurs Mystery, and approach to music, will make them a legend as fans hunt down, search, and try and interpret the bands motive to the musical scraps and clips left behind.