Blatant Marketing Question

[filkertom]

Folksinger Jonathan Coulton has been pursuing an interesting idea for several months now. He's got a "Thing A Week" -- literally, a new song every week, released through a Creative Commons license. You can subscribe to a free podcast of the songs; you can make a donation if you are so inclined; you can buy the songs individually. (The FAQ explains it pretty well.)

I can write a new song a week.

How many of you might be interested in me doing that kind of thing? In all cases, we'd be talking brand-new, never-heard-before songs. I'd likely solicit ideas for a song about once a month here on the LJ, just to get really crazy. Would you subscribe? Might you donate? Might you buy the songs individually? Would you like them collected into a downloadable album? Is this a stupid idea?

Comments

[eleri.livejournal.com]

I'd be in :)

[ericthemage.livejournal.com]

I'd subscribe and donate and buy them. It's a great idea.

Which reminds me, I sent 96.3 WDVD the link to Coulton's Ikea song because they were chatting with people at the grand opening in Canton today. Don't know if they played it or not.

[ratbastrd.livejournal.com]

I'd most assuredly be willing to both subscribe and likely donate. It sounds like fun. You can do a loot with podcvasts, too. Check out They Might Be Giants, they dop what amounts to a little 1/2 hour radio show once a month or so...

[thingunderthest.livejournal.com]

I'm down with any idea that gets me more Tom Smith musical content.

[wookiee71.livejournal.com]

I already subscribe to Jon Coulton's deal and would happily add you to my musical donationary fund.

yes

[phaedress.livejournal.com]

Absolutively!
We need new Tom Smith content in my home, perhaps we'll even stop singing "badger pajamas" at one another.

[sydb42.livejournal.com]

Wolf and I would subscribe and buy individual songs, and maybe a downloadable album, particularly if you threw a few songs on the album that are only available on the album. Donations would depend on money availablility at the time, but would not be out of the scope of possibility. And, I think it's a great idea! Looking forward to it starting, if you decide to pursue it. :)

Re: yes

[sydb42.livejournal.com]

Haha, even our 3 year old sings "badger pajamas" around here. ;)

[ericcoleman]

Ummm ... what everyone else said ...

[knitmeapony.livejournal.com]

I'd probably download them every day and be willing to donate on the days that I particularly like and want to keep. I love your work but I don't think I'd buy them sight unseen. (Sound unheard?)

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

I believe that setting a hard schedule on what is fundamentally a creative process will cause a decline in quality. Ask any published writer what they feel the problems with their worst books are - they almost always answer that it's the pressure to produce on schedule that made them put out a shoddy story. You may be able to ram out a song a week for a month or two, but then you'll probably find it difficult to continue the pace, especially while touring.

In your shoes, I'd create a weekly "Filk at 11" podcast that showcases your talents and those of your fellow filkers. Have guests, a costar or two, fandom news and call ins for chats. You probably already have almost all of the gear you need for a top-notch audio show.

[cadhla.livejournal.com]

I think you should go for it.

[jonnorthwood.livejournal.com]

Considering I love his work, and I love your work, and I don't have a problem donating to both ... heck, yeah!

Donate and purchase, I would do. Subscribe, of course. The downloadable album's a great idea (maybe do it as a quarterly thing: follow each three-month block by clearing your list and having them available in a set).

And no, IMNSHO, it's not a stupid idea.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

I did subscribe to Jonathan's, and I'd subscribe to yours. Between direct withdrawal of the dollar from my checking account each week, and using iTunes to get the songs, it's a pretty painless process.

You'd be a better judge of this aspect than I, but it seems to me that the biggest advantage for you is the creation of a predictable income stream.

[popefelix.livejournal.com]

oooh. I like that idea.

[phaedress.livejournal.com]

that is such a cute image I can't stop smiling!

[twfarlan.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a cool idea.

... hmm. The serialized adventures of the Waffle, perhaps? :)

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

Sponsered by IHOP

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

Well, if you're serious, then are you open to suggestions?

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

Damn you! Like I'm already not poor enough! ;-)

I'd be in - absolutely! I prefer to buy singles as I hear them anyway and being able to buy regular new music is uber cool.

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

Oooh! 8-)

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

While I think it would be a concern over time I do recall Tom mentioning once that he had more stuff than he could record any time soon so I don't think it'll be a problem in his case. ;-)

Obviously there would be no updates while he tours unless he wants to post concert stuff later but I don't see that as a problem either. Just a part of life.

And if he posts bad stuff people won't buy it - that's the way it should work IMHO.

As for a weekly podcast that has some serious potential. A "Smithcast" would be something that would be on my iTunes automatic subscriptions to be downloaded to my iPod any time it sees them. :-)

[partiallyclips.livejournal.com]

I discovered Jonathan Coulton's business model about 3 weeks ago and I have been fascinated with it ever since. I can't wait to ask him about it at Confluence. Grarrrrrrrh too few hours in the day to look into everything that interests me!

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'd subscribe and buy.

And If Your Hands Were Metal, That Might Mean Something :)

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, you'll have to forgive me if I respectfully disagree. My rep is based on coming up with songs quickly. And I've got lots of examples, including the entire new album. Moreover, part of the point of this is creativity -- a combination of getting the juices flowing on a regular basis and finishing up the unfinished stuff that's been sitting around for awhile.

I don't claim that everything's gonna be great. I don't think it can be. But about 80% of my songs were written in less than three days, and 80% of those within three hours. The subscription idea allows people to get them for free. The purchase/donation option allows people to reward me when they feel the songs deserve it. I can be more topical, more whimsical, and just generally follow my impulses, without getting in the way of the planned stuff.

I've thought about the podcast style you describe as "Filk at 11", although I admit the original thought was more of a "roots of filk" thing -- a few filk songs, some Stan Rogers or Chad Mitchell Trio or Makem & Clancy or Pete Seeger or whomever, to highlight some of the pro folk acts that have influenced filk. Might do it, might not. If I did, it would probably be once a month, because that would take more production and planning.