Official Post From Hawkwind

[Colin J Allen]

This decision has nothing to do with protecting (or increasing) sales of
legitimate releases.  It is a decsion that has been reached for sound
reasons which involve the future viability of the band.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Jackson" <tojackso at LIBRARY.SYR.EDU>
To: <BOC-L at LISTSERV.SPC.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2002 4:47 PM
Subject: Re: Official Post From Hawkwind


> On 11 Dec 2002 at 12:20, Mike Montfort wrote:
>
> > Really Dumb move on the band's part.
> >
> Ya think?
>
> > Lessee.. now ..
> >
> > 1) they won't come to America cause they have some previous problems
> > with immigration.
> >
> > 2) now I can't collect the shows I miss cause they only tour in the
> > UK.
> >
> > 3) Think it's time to turn in my HWKWND plates and find another band.
> >
> > 4) People will still record.. that wont stop.
> >
> > 5) recordings will sound worse.
> >
> > 6) worse recordings will gather in fewer new fans to buy their
> > sporadic releases.
> >
> > 7) fewer new fans means a stagnant or shrinking income steam.
> >
> > Yep sounds very bright to me.. but Dave is SOO not known for his
> > bright business choices.  Apparently Dave has no understanding of the
> > taper community phenomenon surrounding bands like Phish. the Dead/the
> > Other Ones, SCI etc etc etc.  These bands had relatively NO studio
> > sales.  Taped shows brought in new fans.  New fans bought the few
> > albums available and went to shows.
>
> And this is where bands make money anyway.  Nobody except maybe Metallica
> makes ANY money from selling CDs.  But a smart band with a loyal fanbase
> [hmm...] can make a ton of money by putting on good shows and letting the
fans
> know they value their presence at gigs by having a taper-friendly policy.
BTW, all
> the bands you mentioned make so much more money than HW it isn't even
funny...
>
>
>   These bands became.. should I say
> > it.. comfortably off from their music!
> >
> I think HW must think that somehow taping will hurt legitimate product's
sales!  What
> a myth!  The only people this policy hurts are rabid fans who already buy
all official
> releases in every format they can find.  If Dave thinks he's going to
somehow get
> rich from sales of new HW stuff to new fans--well, I guess the dope on the
other side
> of the pond is a lot better than what we get here!  Yep, stab your most
loyal fans
> through the heart when you're a band that's limping home from 30 years on
the road
> [when it suits you].  Sounds like a great plan!
>
> theo
>