Myspace appears to be fading for us all...but what is taking it's place? Twitter? That's only 140 characters of text. Facebook? That's mostly for drunk party photos and stalking - not music. It seems like a void is being created and nothing of equivalent value is filling it's place. So what the fuck is going on?
Where are people going? They certainly aren't writing more letters and hanging out in groups and having "conversations" and they definitely aren't checking out more concerts. So where are they and what are they doing and with whom? I mean, you can only Google your own name and your ex's so many times before you get bored, so what is everyone up to on the internet? Nobody listens to the radio - nobody even watches tv anymore. WHERE THE FUCK IS EVERYONE?
I'm not the first to say or think this but it feels like a big shift is happening. Not like a 2012 shift but just a change in the way our generation uses the internet and phones and communication toys.
Remember when we all signed up for Myspace accounts? Then bands like ours signed up and that became a huge vehicle for getting our music out into the world. This band owes a lot to Myspace and it's users. Word of mouth has carried this band this far. But why am I going to coinstar every week with change I find to buy food and Myspace has made Billions of dollars off me and my band and others just like me? I mean, they offered us all a free service. We took the bait, swallowed it and it tasted good.
Well, the worm is starting to turn in my stomach now.
Now if people want to check out my band they are bombarded with movie ads and singles dating ads and other bands and videos of people getting hit in the balls (thanks bob saget) and more and more bullshit - all people making way more money than me but it's not even about money. There were still ads back when it started but you gotta admit it's become a little ridiculous and very a.d.d. Even on YouTube, another "free" service, you can't watch anything without ads popping up here or there but at least my band gets heard...right? I mean, they gave us a free service that became a trend so then everyone goes to one place for their stuff right? Even Radiohead is pissed they don't get any money from the millions of advertising revenue they bring sites like YouTube. So how much is a free service worth? How can you value exposure? I don't have an answer but this is what's going through my head right about now.
I can't blame Myspace, YouTube, Facebook or any of these sites for creating such a genius trap. I mostly blame myself for relying on these things like everyone else has for so long. Band's stopped making .com websites because myspace could do it for you for free and usually - better. But is it okay to subject your listeners to ads and bullshit that they don't want? Don't you just want to be able to focus on what you intended on doing? How many times have you stopped listening to a band's song online because you clicked something else on the page that took you away from it. I love videos of people getting hit in the balls just like every man, but can I at least get 4 minutes of your undivided attention? I don't know, can I? You can say that all these websites have helped the music community and everyone get exposure. True. But at what cost? Better yet, whose profit?
We're all fighting for everyone's attention. The internet has made music less about music and more about getting people to give a fuck long enough to be discovered so you get your chance to impress them with your beautiful songs. I don't think it's right to subject listeners of my band to ads and bullshit they never asked for. I think it sucks. They had an intention behind typing in our url or searching our name and then they are averted away. What gives? Fuck off. Leave these people alone - I want the best for them. But this is the price we all pay for using free services. Well, I personally apologize to you all for enduring so much trash just to get information or listen to a song or watch a video of us. It's not right. I can't believe you aren't pissed. Are you pissed? Maybe I'm alone in this one. Maybe people ignore all the bullshit and just go for what they want.
It's time to go old school...we're going to have...a website again. (DUN DUN DUN!!!)
www.thereforeiamrock.com
(tempted to register www.fucktheguywhoownsthereforeiam.com like FYS did)
I know, it's weird right? Who would have thought? A site dedicated to one-single-thing without interruption. Thank Al Gore for that one.
In the near future we're going to have a new website and we're going to try and make it as interesting and thorough as possible - for you. Maybe you won't go to it, maybe you don't care, I hope you do - but at least it's there if you do. An oasis from the a.d.d. internet world. People will still probably go to our myspace more and that's fine, at least we have our own little corner of the universe where we can do our thing in peace and you can enjoy it in peace as well. A little too romantic? Maybe. But fuck it, at least there we get to call all the shots. If it doesn't work out then we'll just start posting videos of us getting hit in the balls. Anything for you. And when Myspace crumbles and everyone scrambles to find a new home - we'll be waiting for you with a shotgun, canned food and enough water to live off of for years safe in our .com bunker. That is, until 2012 when the anti-christ has a ufc match with the world. Ha.
Be well.
-Brian
