7.16.2009

It's More Than A Sale Price It's A Chance

I’m going to quote a guy named Skwerl who writes for a music site we like very much called Antiquiet. This quote comes from a review he did of a band we also like very much called Portugal the Man, who along with RX Bandits are in the same situation. They are both hard working, honest, integrity-filled artists that have incredible records coming out on July 21st and who should both be in the Top 10 on Billboard the week they come out but sadly, most likely won’t. Let’s change this.

“While the 'evil' music industry can be left for dead, some of today’s best bands could be at the top of the charts if more people still applied at least some level of sanctity to the act of purchasing a record and showed their support with a ten dollar bill. One could take this scenario one step further and envision a NEW MOVEMENT, if it could just be proven that there’s substantial commercial demand for product of true quality." - Skwerl

Imagine if the mediocrity on the radio airwaves were to be replaced with great music? It could be, but it’s really up to us, because in the end it’s "follow the money” that makes stores stock records, venues book bands, radio play songs, etc. So, let’s spend our money on quality and no longer accept these iPod playing / fake, auto-tune, lip-syncing band scenarios.

I’m asking you all to help us make a dent. Let’s put these albums made by real musicians with integrity in their proper place at the top. This is a David and Goliath moment for all of us. We are hoping that RX Bandits new album Mandala, which we made available a week early via AmazonMP3 for only $2.99, is inexpensive enough to be able to contribute to our quest to show it can be done – good music can and must prevail! So besides this being an album we think is beautiful, creative, progressive and a work of art, and even if you don’t agree with us on RX Bandits, well then step away from that and think of the bigger picture –it is time for the music lovers' voices to be heard, it is up to you to help bands and labels like us who support and play non-traditional , non-commercial music to become the winners.

The state of the music industry feels to me like the state of the nation at the time of the last election. What did people do? Instead of complaining, we got off the couch and VOTED for the first time. Voted to change this country's course – we need to do the same – we need to rally to elect real musicians & great music to the office of #1 on Billboard. I’m not here to beg for money, I’m here to beg for music to be recognized, for real artists to be acknowledged. I hope that everyone that wants change in the music industry and on their radio dials will buy, or should I say contribute $2.99 toward a cause much bigger than one band's record. We couldn’t be happier to have teamed with Amazon to be able to offer the RX Bandits album Mandala, for a price less than a cup of designer coffee, because we want everyone to hear it. We want no one to have the often-valid excuse of “I don’t have the money." So, I hope you’ll vote, I hope you’ll contribute – I hope you will listen, It’s up to all of us that claim to love independent music. It really is.




Please buy albums by great bands. If not the new RX Bandits album then, please make a gesture today and purchase a hard working, true band's album today – let’s change things.

Much respect to you all, except the haters

from the little label that is trying to push boulders up that hill.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi,
Loved RX Bandits first album and bought it on Bandcamp. Concerning Mandala, make it available in flac and I will be more than happy to buy it and support them.

La Cuna said...

PART 1 - This sentiment NEEDS TO BE HEARD. I am so fucking tired of going around my suburban town, asking if they have any RXB records to get my hands on, only to have them look at me like I have four heads.
I'll admit, I hadn't discovered Rx Bandits until someone posted a link on another fantastic band's (The Mars Volta's) fan forum. But my god when I heard the art that this band makes, it was incredible. The definition of a breath of fresh air in the heavily polluted world of music today.
But it doesn't have to be that way, and shouldn't be that way. The number of bands that are out there right now that are beyond anything that you hear on your local radio stations or that are "show cased" on iTunes is astounding. When you talk to individuals who claim to love music but they consider Good Charlotte to be punk rock and are "bummed out" that Panic at the Disco broke up, yet do not know and have never heard of Zach Hill, Dave Davison, or even Omar Rodriguez-Lopez how am I supposed to take those persons seriously?
And granted, perhaps the incredible artistry of bands like Maps and Atlases, El Grupo Nuevo de Omar Rodriguez Lopez, or even smaller names like Zechs Marquise may not float everyones boat, but my god, enough of this force fed radio product.
If you love music, why wouldn’t you want more of it and a higher quality of it? Why constrain yourself to 3 minute tracks of irritating phrases that happen to stick in your head or computer processed voice overs that take already known melodies and beats and plug them into their songs as their own? I know it is unbelievable, but THERE ARE SONGS LONGER THAN 3 MINUTES. Incredible I know, there are even songs longer than 4 MINUTES! My god the horror! Or is it the enlightening?

La Cuna said...

PART 2 - Sargent House, and the likes of Ms. Cathy Pellow have given everyone an incredible opportunity. They have collected a fine stable of musical craftsmen to lead the way and produce art that the masses must hear. Whether it be the incredible metamorphosis and ever-changing sounds of Rx Bandits, or the spine tingling trip of story telling without words with Zechs Marquise, the label gets it. And now, with this incredible opportunity to broaden our horizons and dive into this pool of musical awareness, we all can participate in irrigating this new generation of music loving people by spreading the word.
Not by bashing other bands, or by looking down upon their musical interests, but by approaching them and saying, “Oh, so you like Paul Wall, Flo-Rida and rap in general, why don’t you try J Dilla, Madvillain or Peanut Butter Wolf?” Or “Alright, you like Kings of Leon, the new Green Day album and Jason Mraz, have you ever heard of This Town Need Guns, Lady Radiator, Curious Boy Feelings or Damien Rice?” Show them that that music is not just noise to go along with a commercial, but a collective talent that can provide an individual with emotions they never thought they can feel otherwise. This easing in and attempt at creating parallels between their societal-radio based musical interests and the unknown musical entity for them will amaze you at how many people are actually ready to attain a greater musical appreciation, even if you and I both know their is more talent on a single This Town Needs Guns track than anything Nickelback has ever put out...
I am an 18 year old college student in New York putting myself through on my own. I go to a community college and work at a robot building store for kids. I am sorry, but I cannot go to my local FYE and pickup an album I like for $20, I simply do not have the means. I instead choose to find websites in which I can find the exact same album via vinyl (a hobby I have) and try to find deals in which I buy the record and also get a digital download with it, both cheaper and better quality than the original FYE deal. I understand I am even more fortunate than most to even be able to go out and purchase that, but today, a vast majority can afford a great album by a great band for less than any $5 sandwich. I in no way consider myself to be a, “Music aficionado” and can’t tell you anything about music theory, but I do know that I love music, and love to see people strive and work relentlessly to achieve their dreams. Please, let’s all help them to achieve their goals, and enjoy the gifts that come along with the ride.
Sargent House, Ms. Pellow, or whom ever it may concern, just let me know what i can do to help spread this word and consider it done. I love this label, it’s ideals, and most importantly, the incredible music you help to see the light of day. So please, anything at all, just email me, write me, tweet me, whatever, and allow me to aid in any way possible for this cause. I have posted a link to this blog on my Facebook, Twitter and on the fan board that made me discover RXB (The Coma). Thank you endlessly for the incredible music you have shown me, and I look forward to a future in which we may all enjoy music without limitations and constraints.

Sincerely,
Alexander Baldassare
http://twitter.com/alexmbaldassare
http://www.facebook.com/alex.baldassare
http://forum.thecomatorium.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=116721

beersiveknown said...

the $2.99 is only available to people in the USA, what about the people in the UK and Europe who support RX Bandits, do they not deserve the right to download for a cheaper price too?

Anonymous said...

what a tremendously true concept; actually paying for a cd to support musicians that we relate so much of our listening pleasure to. i get lots of cd's for free but never from the non-commercial groups... Rx Bandits are way legit!!!! this pricing is unimaginable.. these men deserve it.... oh all this hog wash about "voting" this last election for this non-americanesque Obama wierdo is nothing but "trendy" and "hip" based on no principles our founding fathers knew would guarantee our long loved personal freedoms... if any of you pay attention to reality, Obama didn't stop the war like he swore he would. he isn't ONLY taxing the "rich white man" but is pushing now to tax on dozens of trash since he's socailized our once-sovereign country into his endless/mindless debt ball.. ie4-5 trillion of your children's/grand children's money.... you poor minded obamabots are in need of a brain enema.. he's bogus (oh, and mccain hardly would've been better)

Anonymous said...

damn in mexico at the moment and cannot download this. regardless once i get back i will purchase the album.