<![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff - Idolator Comments]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/idolator.com.png <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff - Idolator Comments]]> http://idolator.com Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:45:58 EDT Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:45:58 EDT http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c546303 I used to work at Blender magazine and unless the editor locks his demos somewhere, someone will find it and rip it.

Cheap Shot

]]> 33:209417:c546303 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:45:58 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c546013 well, honestly, I am the one who posted the email online and I probably wouldn't have posted the songs anyway, but I think it's pretty cool they asked and reached out to us. i mean my rule is, download the cd and then buy the vinyl. I know this isn't everyone's intention but it should be. or at least support artists like the shins. I mean if it was metallica... things might be a little different.

thepunkguy

]]> 33:209417:c546013 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:37:59 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545965 You really love me, you really do!!!!

thepunkguy

]]> 33:209417:c545965 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:32:22 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545886 Everyone knows that "I dropped my watermarked CD on the ground next to my PO Box and didn't notice until 2 days later when it appeared online" is the oldest excuse in the book, Catbirdseat.

Bob Loblaw

]]> 33:209417:c545886 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:15:16 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545885 I've always wondered about that, which is why I'm getting a CD shredder for Christmas.

Brian Raftery

]]> 33:209417:c545885 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:15:13 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545660 Why does Best Buy need four months lead time for a new release? So they can spend that much more time misfiling it when it comes out?

mackro

]]> 33:209417:c545660 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:37:09 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545568 And by the way, can 'watermarking' stuff even be considered legally viable? Let's say I'm pulling my daily 1,389 promos out of my post office box, and I drop that watermarked CD on the ground and don't notice. 2 days later, "my" watermarked version shows up online. Am I supposed to take the heat for that?

Catbirdseat

]]> 33:209417:c545568 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:25:28 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545551 Perpetua is onto something there, in that if the only leak that gets out is, say, a 128k rip, that at least guarantees it will stay off of OINKS and IT, since they are nazis about bitrate/quality.

Still, it only delays the inevitable, as someone will, of course, *eventually* upload a higher-quality version (as many users are nazis about bitrate/quality too).

Catbirdseat

]]> 33:209417:c545551 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:21:47 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545477 I also think that the Shins' core fanbase--the people who spent all weekend seeking out the record online--are going to buy it when it comes out anyway. Probably not a huge comfort to Sub Pop, but that and the low-quality rip will ensure that their first-week sales among the indie kids will be alright. I hope.

Brian Raftery

]]> 33:209417:c545477 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:08:24 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545362 As an anonymous label owner, I'll say that my least favorite part of putting out a release is having to deal with the promotional materials. It would seem in this day and age (yousendit, bittorrent, soulseek, etc.) that a good amount of the indie journalists have no problems with passing around a promotional copy of a record. I only say this because I regularly see our records get leaked.

We have the previously mentioned problem of having to get copies of the records out VERY early to print mags. That's not always so simple for a small label. I want a print mag to have a finalized version with all the proper packaging and liner notes. Tough to make that happen.

I've considered looking into digital forms of distribution...but who is going to pay attention to us? We're smaller and are spending a lot more time and money to get noticed. The idea of a release date in a lot of ways is just sort of ridiculous for us anyway. It's not like we're paying for SoundScan.

I'm into the idea of having our records available through digital shops at the same time the promos go out. I'm curious how that would affect hype..."oh that record? yeah i bought it on iTunes 5 months ago." Yes, there are print mags who are planning for their March issues right now.

But did I mention that I don't necessarily mind the record being leaked? Trying to get people to take notice is hard. I'll worry about actually selling the things later. Thievery/sharing is the sincerest form of flattery...or something like that. I understand people wanting to play something they like for someone else. I understand them wanting to put it on the other person's iPod. The guy from Mastodon recently said after their album got leaked (the leaker was later fired thanks to digital watermarking), that he didn't mind if people download their record. That the people that really are trying to track down the album early are going to be the same people who line up on release day to buy the record. I don't know if it's quite that simple, but I'd like to think it is. It only takes one journalist to send an album around the world...

I'd love to hear any other suggestions by other label-owners, or from press people as to what you think would work for smaller labels. Sorry if this was long, sorry I cheated on my chemistry tests in 11th grade. The promotional process is definitely one I wish I could ignore.

anonymouslabelowner

]]> 33:209417:c545362 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:50:20 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545130 man, critics who leak promos get the endless fucking gas face from me. be professional or leave the job to people that will.

seconded.

katie_a_princess

]]> 33:209417:c545130 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:15:48 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c545099 On the bright side for Sub Pop, it's always better for a low quality rip to leak rather than something very close to the sound of the finish album -- it allows the fans to get a taste of the record, but still have a strong incentive to buy the high quality version.

Matthew Perpetua

]]> 33:209417:c545099 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 14:12:05 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c544913 Moving up a release date is a HUGE ordeal, and given the scheduled release date it would be even more difficult. Marketing an album during the Christmas season is (a) more expensive than other times of the year and (b) dangerous because an album can get lost among the high number of priority releases. Indies would be wise to steer clear of the late fourth quarter (which is usually the case).

Delaying the first promo mailing is an option. A few thoughts on that. First, there are a lot of people in the industry who act like it's their God-given right to get an early advance of every album that comes out. Second, there are key people who need to hear the album well before it's released, if at all possible. Labels try to accomodate both groups. Any way to you slice it, there has got to be a CD of an album floating around somewhere before its release date. If there's a copy out there, there's a chance it could end up on file-sharing networks.

For the band, the worst part of getting tracks out this early is that it ruins the timing involved in promoting a record. Buzz is all about timing. When somebody leaks an album, it hurts the band/label's ability to properly promote it.

coolfer

]]> 33:209417:c544913 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:43:57 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c544859 Best Buy requires up to 16 weeks lead time for new releases. Shortening this time puts a title at risk of not being in Best Buy for street date, which would entail a huge first-week sales loss. However, even a crossover indie success like the Shins won't sell enough at BB chainwide to get them to expedite their processes for the title... so there aren't a lot of options.

mreasy

]]> 33:209417:c544859 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:35:23 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c544768 I've been publicly advocating that "shorten the cycle/release to iTunes the same day the promos go out" for a long time now, and I've been told it's not the magazines that are potential problems in changing it up, it's the big-box retailers like Best Buy & etc. who would likely flex their muscles against it.

Catbirdseat

]]> 33:209417:c544768 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:21:09 EDT <![CDATA[The Shins Hit The Fans, Sub Pop Calls In The Sheriff]]> http://idolator.com/tunes/leaks/the-shins-hit-the-fans-sub-pop-calls-in-the-sheriff-209417.php#c544727 man, critics who leak promos get the endless fucking gas face from me. be professional or leave the job to people that will.

joe bananas

]]> 33:209417:c544727 Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:15:40 EDT