Indieoma

After a string of innovative T-shirt designs, The Indelicates set their sights on extending their creativity into other areas. So far these have included; Screen Prints (Screen printed, hand numbered, and limited edition designs); Simon and Julia – “Words” (a collection of poems and song lyrics) and eyebrow raising “Christmas Fudge” (homemade fudge with free new song on MP3)!

Other extra-curricular activities which can now be classed under The Indelicates “brand” include; The Book of Job: The Musical! (written by Simon and performed by band members and others), Punk Rock Songwriting Workshops at schools (Simon and Julia spend 1 day or 1/2 day at a school for a song-writing or lyric workshop which gives the opportunity for the class to perform, play and record the song at the end http://corporaterecords.co.uk/workshops/options.html), Julia’s Photographic Prints and Simon’s Children’s Story Podcast “At First There Is The Mountain” about the adventures of Violet Hayes (http://corporaterecords.co.uk/violethayes/) -

Bands and Branding

As far as I can tell, merchandising has always been a relatively lucrative way for bands to advertise their music and ideas. Until recently, this was largely limited to T-shirts and CDs but over the last decade, bands have increasingly become BRANDS who sell lifestyle items as well. Most people who have been in, or have started bands are aware of this, but most simply won’t talk about it. These are often people who maintain that it’s ‘all about the music’ (and have someone else manage their Brand for them, allowing them to separate themselves from the vulgarity of Profit and Loss). I’m not saying the music doesn’t matter, it does… But I think we have to be more honest about why people are buying it, and what they are prepared to pay for it. When an industry that did it for you starts to break down, you have to ask yourself these questions, much as you might not wish to.

I suppose I have always felt a bit uncomfortable about people buying things from me; it somehow feels like I’m conning them; that they should have it for free and it isn’t of great value to me anyway etc. This is the attitude I grew up with and it’s been a difficult one to manage/come to terms with. It is impossible to start something musical now and NOT reference the past and this means that you are already, inadvertently or not, borrowing from the abundant musical landscape which already exists in order to make your own ideas take shape. So charging for the privilege of having the music feels a bit like cheating. Selling other things that feel like they have more value feels better somehow. Things that are less abundant, that you have had to make, and draw, and build.

Branding is a dirty word:

Branding seems like such a dirty word for the data-makers, but what if you were in control of that branding? What if you could make your own advertising campaigns, with your own data and with your own artwork? What if you had this incredible social and economic network that would allow you to have control over what you sell, who you sell it to and who you market to, based on those purchases? Of course; you DO.

Branding is an interesting word to use for bands, because essentially a brand is a collective, a company and it will have a brand identity whether you like it or not. People will attribute it to you, so why not be in control of it? Why pretend that it is a mystery to you when, in fact, it is the easiest and most pleasant way of developing trust based relationships between yourselves and people all over the world who might like what you have to offer?

Make books, make fudge, make Screen prints. Make T-shirts, make dolls, make limited edition china ware, make drink coasters, make vinyl and spin-off clothing lines. Make music. Be a part of it. Enjoy it. And be in control of it.

Don’t let a dying sapping industry control what you make: you can make it yourselves, you can sell it yourselves and people will LOVE it because you made a connection, you trusted them, and they trusted you in return. And anyone who doesn’t knows that they can come to you direct to sort it out.

Now more than ever, being in a band FEELS multidisciplinary. You aren’t forbidden from entering the world of published books, you can do it yourself. Nor are you frowned upon for selling clothes, making sweets and selling paintings. This all takes place ALONGSIDE what you have always done with music. If it fits with your brand identity then, why not be in control of it? It’s not ‘all about the music’ any more. It’s about YOU and what you want to turn it into.

Julia Indelicate

Links to the other Digital Economy Bill and Piracy And Pieces Of Eight posts:

Digital Economy Bill Feature Intro

Simon Indelicate – Digital Economy Bill

The Indelicates – Corporate Records Business Model

Stop Disconnection Demo – 24th March 2010

Dan Bull – An Interview – How does a pro-filesharing musician plan to make some cash?

Piracy Feature Intro

Julia Indelicate – Bands And Branding

Chris T-T – The Ballad Of Simon Indelicate’s Christmas Fudge

Simon Indelicate – Fudge Really Has Nothing To Do With It

Matt Stockman – Introducing Sharabang Records – a record label which gives songs aways for free

Ric Rawlins – Pirate Radio And The Internet

Ric Rawlins – Film Review – The Boat That Rocked