So there you go, my point is proven. Just because a release is a promo, it’s not really worth the great asking price that many traders will try on. The Cocteau Twins US Promo CD has been won, congratulations Adam from Poland.
Hardly anyone has attempted to win this free CD. I was giving away a Promo CD to anyone who wanted it, and yet hardly anyone was interested. So, no, just because a release is a promo does not mean it’s rare, of much worth, or even desirable.
During the last couple of weeks I have found some interesting information. I joined a Cocteau Twins forum :
http://www.cocteautwinsforums.com/index.php
A small hint, if you ever join the above forum, whatever you do...don’t mention 4AD.
My experience there, although short, has been memorable. There is no love for 4AD from Cocteau Twins fans it would seem. The forum founder (the late Leesa Beales) had lawsuits brought against her from 4AD, Cocteau Twins had trouble getting money from 4AD and also the members of Cocteau Twins were not consulted when re-packaging their material.
This has thrown up all sorts of questions, particularly about how you find the truth. I love 4AD’s music. Or at least the first decade, of course. Being a musician myself, I know the egos that musicians have. I also work, which means I have seen the face of business. Musicians can be spoilt, childish creatures that constantly seek the adoration of others. Business people can be selfish, greedy and power hungry.
I personally believe that business is a moral-less monster. Let loose, this monster would steal, kill, cheat and do anything it can to achieve money and power. It’s servants are drawn to business with promises of wealth and power. Business people can be so blind to their affect on anyone around them, can be completely without empathy, psychopathic even. In business these people are called focused and are rewarded and encouraged with yet more wealth and power.
Musicians are self destructive, lazy, addictive, self loathing creatures that constantly need to be reassured and praised. Musicians that crave money and power generally show themselves not to be true artists. The ones who shamelessly postrate themselves, want to be famous for their art, die prematurely etc are the more genuine artists.
It’s a match made in hell really. The devouring business feeding off the suicidal lemmings.
The independent labels that sprang from the punk movement in the late 1970’s are an interesting tale of business headed musicians, fighting the battle of their schizophrenic existence. Factory Records were such a good example of this. Factory never had a good business head really and existed for the love of the music. The inevitable consequence being that the musician killed the label in a shower of self pity, addiction and lack of any business common sense. Creation drowned under partying and drugs instead of keeping it’s head above water.
4AD was also a business musician type of label. But it’s still going. Maybe this is because it had more business than artist in it’s chemistry. Of course this fine balance would be practically impossible to sustain. The artists had incredible creative freedom. But they were also subject to business greed.
I, as many, think that 4AD has completely lost it’s way now. The balance has definitely swung more to the business end of the spectrum.
What I find interesting though, is how many get lost in the spectacle and glamour, that is cleverly pushed from the business end of modern music. These are all people. The musicians, the designers, the producers, the management, the labels. These are all just human beings, not celebrities. They all have flaws, they all eat, shit and sleep like the rest of us. Because of this, I would like to know their stories. The good ones and the bad ones. I want to know their flaws, because we grow as human beings when a true picture is created. Do I worship 4AD. NO! I love the music, I find the history of the label and the decisions people made fascinating. But none of them are gods!! That includes musicians too I’m afraid.
So that brings me to the train of thought about truth. How do you get to the truth. Especially when dealing with such extremes of characters. The only way I know is to ask as many people as many questions as possible. Other than that some top notch detective work. 4AD’s first decade is an interesting story and I would like to get the full picture, warts and all. Let’s see if I can get anywhere at all.
Hardly anyone has attempted to win this free CD. I was giving away a Promo CD to anyone who wanted it, and yet hardly anyone was interested. So, no, just because a release is a promo does not mean it’s rare, of much worth, or even desirable.
During the last couple of weeks I have found some interesting information. I joined a Cocteau Twins forum :
http://www.cocteautwinsforums.com/index.php
A small hint, if you ever join the above forum, whatever you do...don’t mention 4AD.
My experience there, although short, has been memorable. There is no love for 4AD from Cocteau Twins fans it would seem. The forum founder (the late Leesa Beales) had lawsuits brought against her from 4AD, Cocteau Twins had trouble getting money from 4AD and also the members of Cocteau Twins were not consulted when re-packaging their material.
This has thrown up all sorts of questions, particularly about how you find the truth. I love 4AD’s music. Or at least the first decade, of course. Being a musician myself, I know the egos that musicians have. I also work, which means I have seen the face of business. Musicians can be spoilt, childish creatures that constantly seek the adoration of others. Business people can be selfish, greedy and power hungry.
I personally believe that business is a moral-less monster. Let loose, this monster would steal, kill, cheat and do anything it can to achieve money and power. It’s servants are drawn to business with promises of wealth and power. Business people can be so blind to their affect on anyone around them, can be completely without empathy, psychopathic even. In business these people are called focused and are rewarded and encouraged with yet more wealth and power.
Musicians are self destructive, lazy, addictive, self loathing creatures that constantly need to be reassured and praised. Musicians that crave money and power generally show themselves not to be true artists. The ones who shamelessly postrate themselves, want to be famous for their art, die prematurely etc are the more genuine artists.
It’s a match made in hell really. The devouring business feeding off the suicidal lemmings.
The independent labels that sprang from the punk movement in the late 1970’s are an interesting tale of business headed musicians, fighting the battle of their schizophrenic existence. Factory Records were such a good example of this. Factory never had a good business head really and existed for the love of the music. The inevitable consequence being that the musician killed the label in a shower of self pity, addiction and lack of any business common sense. Creation drowned under partying and drugs instead of keeping it’s head above water.
4AD was also a business musician type of label. But it’s still going. Maybe this is because it had more business than artist in it’s chemistry. Of course this fine balance would be practically impossible to sustain. The artists had incredible creative freedom. But they were also subject to business greed.
I, as many, think that 4AD has completely lost it’s way now. The balance has definitely swung more to the business end of the spectrum.
What I find interesting though, is how many get lost in the spectacle and glamour, that is cleverly pushed from the business end of modern music. These are all people. The musicians, the designers, the producers, the management, the labels. These are all just human beings, not celebrities. They all have flaws, they all eat, shit and sleep like the rest of us. Because of this, I would like to know their stories. The good ones and the bad ones. I want to know their flaws, because we grow as human beings when a true picture is created. Do I worship 4AD. NO! I love the music, I find the history of the label and the decisions people made fascinating. But none of them are gods!! That includes musicians too I’m afraid.
So that brings me to the train of thought about truth. How do you get to the truth. Especially when dealing with such extremes of characters. The only way I know is to ask as many people as many questions as possible. Other than that some top notch detective work. 4AD’s first decade is an interesting story and I would like to get the full picture, warts and all. Let’s see if I can get anywhere at all.
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