Lonely London Lad - A Torrent of Thoughts on Torrents (and Music)
Like most online businesses, I use a web analytics software, VisitorVille (Disclaimer: I invented it) to understand how visitors use my web site.
Last night I saw something cool. A person arrived on the Lonely London Lad site after doing a Google search for "Lonely London Lad torrent". Normally when this happens (it's a fairly common, although heartbreaking, search phrase) the visitor leaves after a few minutes, apparently to continue the hunt for the elusive free stuff.
But this particular person stuck around, read the Wiki about the band, read my "Renaissance" blog (where I discuss why I got into music and why I do it), and then went to my Shop, where suddenly they bought the Combo Pack, containing the first two LLL albums on 3 CD's.
Of course this person had no idea how much this meant to me, but it meant a lot. It meant a dinner for my family. Or money toward a new song's production. It is tangible.
And it also boosted my morale, which cannot be measured economically, yet is just as important. Every sale is important, but this particular sale was special, and that's why I am writing a blog about it.
Here was someone who started off doing what is common these days: that is, trying to get free music if it's available. A completely anonymous act, with a stereotypically ripe victim (the fat cat label, or rich rock star)... But then the person weighed the evidence: Here was a one-man label, producing music that was not generic and was made with heart... music that this person liked.
And then, in private, the person made a decision to buy. Nobody patted them on the back for it. If I hadn't seen it with Visitorville, I would never have even known about it. But the person took responsibility for the music they loved, and gave a piece of themselves to keep it alive. They could have probably stolen it just as easily, and used the money instead for gas, rent, coffee, or any of life's other expenses. But they didn't, and that is what is remarkable.
The media tends to think there are only two types of music fans: those who always "do the right thing" and buy music legally, and then all the others, who pride themselves on never paying for music.
But there is another group, who buy selectively.
You may decide, for example, that a mega-group from the 1980's who are putting out a new album apparently just to cash in... well, they are rich enough already, and their current stuff isn't really that good anyway. You're making a silent statement about what the music is worth to you: your time and energy, but not your money.
But in the same evening, you may decide to buy the CD of a band you believe is doing something honest, and good, and worthy of your hard-won, post-tax earnings. You decide, in the privacy of your mind, to take a stand for something you believe in. It's a heroic act, especially as nowadays it's much easier to be an anonymous voyeur than someone who engages with anything or anyone.
I have had dozens of people write me that they almost never pay for music (or albums), but chose to pay for LLL's. It's that kind of thing that keeps me going, both financially and in terms of keeping my spirits up. Nobody has unlimited funds to buy music, but when someone uses their limited funds to buy LLL music, that is an act that is not lost on me. It means that it matters to them. That is why I write personal notes with each shipment, try to mail orders the same day they are placed, and use the highest-quality musicians, engineers, t-shirts, poster paper, and mailing supplies available. Why? Because I want to return the respect that is shown to us in the act of buying our work, even if it means being less 'profitable' (high quality 'inputs' mean lower profit margins).
There are days when sales are good, and I see being able to continue to do this for years to come... and there are dry days (which is surprising considering how many items I now sell, and how much marketing I do worldwide)... and I frankly confess that in those dry spells I start to question continuing in music. What gets me out of that hole are the good sales days, and the messages I receive from people who see that we're putting our hearts and souls into this, and who enjoy the fruits of our labor.
So I see my job, as a musician and marketer, is to not simply appeal to those who are the 'conventional' buyers of music, but also to those who are 'on the fence', and for whom each musical purchase takes many things into consideration. Buying a CD is not simply buying music you like, but buying into --investing in -- the band that makes it. For me, it just highlights the importance of not just making creative music that matters, but of showing people who we are and what we stand for -- so that you can make the final decision.
I got an uplifting email this morning from a "fran" (my term for a friend/fan) named Mitch, and here's an excerpt from it: "It has now been around 17 months since i learned of your music and i still have not found another new artist or even a new release by an artist i like that remotely compares. I currently download about 10 new artists every month. The average new artist's CD contains about 2 good songs. Basically a single with alot of filler. The average established artist i like does on average about 2-4 good songs on a CD. More filler. And guess what else? I would say the average CD has dropped about 5-8 minutes in length. All of this just makes your stock that much higher. Not that you are completely exempt from what i consider filler. But your CD's are about 90% fulfilling. I got a feeling the next one is going to hit the high water mark at 100%."
It looks like it is going to be one of the good days. It's also good because I don't feel the need to sell you anything. If you want something, you will decide on your own.
What are your thoughts? Weigh in on our Facebook page, or send me a note. Thanks for downloading and reading this torrent of words :-)
