-- EDIT: I ain't complaining: just poking the possum, trying to make it move --

MASTERS SHMASTERS
Okay- we've been calling for Masters now for a month.

MY opinion:
SCRAP those that haven't gotten the wav files to you. No offense, but it's holding EVERYthing up. If they've contacted you, great, give them 7 days from today.

But the non-communicado people, scrap them off the project, and move on.

OR, option two: go ahead and master from the mp3 version. it won't be as good, but that's their problem. They obviously don't have a problem with it because they haven't contacted you, me, or anybody about it.

WEBSITE SHMEBSITE
What's up with the web site? I can put one together and send you the files if necessary, ditto with Lewis. The current site was great when it was just a record... but if we're pushing people to get the word out, then the site should contain much more information - specifically, NEWS, member bios, links to member sites, but mostly, NEWS.

- - - -

I LOVE the whole anarchistic process of the record, but yeah, SOMEBODY's gotta play asshole occasionally to make things move. I have no problem with that role. Ask my exes.

So, with that in mind, sure, Jason's the president, I'll play CEO and tell folks what to do. EXCEPT that I ain't got the time to micro-manage it.

For starters, I've asked Groovement to give me a list of 10 places, publications or websites, that we can contact about reviews and/or write-ups similar to the one Jason did. It's just a matter of mailing them out and following up. However, I would prefer to have an informative website online, and mail out MASTERED versions of the CDs.

Once we have some reviews, we should ALL send a CD to a radio station in OUR town that plays local music. Because this is a national release, each individual's contribution will be viewed (locally) as NOTEWORTHY at the very least.

So there's the order of busines for today:
- Master the CD by next weekend
- post a more comprehensive website by the following weekend (assuming that we mail out CDs for review as soon as they're mastered.

If I'm overstepping the unspoken bounds of keeping the NFO open and freeform community based, let me know. On the one hand, I want this thing to really thrive, on the other, I bear in mind that this is our group's first release, warts n' all.

There WILL be growth, and with growth, SOME growing pains.
[This message was edited Wed Jul 9 15:46:20 PDT 2003 by otan]

Man, you guys want a lot for free, huh?


Just kidding.


I'm on it already!

poopy pants!

NFO said:

No you're absolutely right - I want a ton of things for free - so definitely, divvy it up. I know HTML, lewis does, other folks do. If you have the basic look of the site, don't hesitate to send out files and ask any of us to help build the site. You're right - it's a lot to do, but if you don't ask for help, then yeah, it's all on you.

I agree...move 4ward without them (really don't think U should master without their approval). Ya snooze, ya loose.

yeah i dont understand really, i just wanted 2 hear all of u guys' music..that's all i cared about, weather the sound is outstandingly delicious or 96 kbs damn.

I heard it, i loved it, i want more!

I agree with you Otan, 100%, except the cd artwork has everyone's name on it.

That's why I'm thinking for the next project to have generic artwork - no credits and just let people download mp3s and they can pick and choose from all songs submited. This way we don't have to have a minimum or maximum, we can just keep adding songs to our website. It will be like our own mp3.com.

VinaBlue said:

I dunno. I think the problem with letting folks pick and choose is that they will overlook songs. Providing the package in completion is good because it exposes all artists to the individual - just my pinion. If they're only dl'ing the mp3s, then those songs will end up in winamp so a CD cover is a moot point. -- just my opinion.

Yamomma has the photoshop files for the CD cover. If they have to be removed, it's unfortunate but not impossible.

Vina's on the right track. Generic packaging/art work is a very cool idea; kinda like the early acid jazz volumes. Not only does it show continuity...but it's much less work and cost efficient. In the old days, in the days of the dinosaur...we had fun with generic...gig posters, newsletters, stickers, buttons etc. and just filled in the blanks for each new project. Works well and eventually peeps recognize not only the logo, but the style. Keep it simple...KISS it!

Red said:

good purnt. didn't think about that.

otan said:

With the audio player they can hear the whole song and decide if they want to download it. Right now, people don't have to download all the songs if they don't want to, and they don't have to use the cd cover if they don't want to either.

I felt bad asking yamomma to update my credits on the cd cover when my remix was finally done. I know he's a busy guy. I wonder if the master files that have been uploaded will fit on one cd?

otan said:

I wish I had a possum to poke.

hehehe Spark1

VinaBlue said:

you mean no credit to the artist?? I thought the idea of this project was exposure among other things

Nah Lewis...of course Yo would get credit on artwork... and he probably would love to entertain the design of something generic for the future of NFO.

cloud9mission said:

The music credits can be on the website.

Red said:

No - I think Lewis' point is that the point of the NFO project was to spread the funk, and funk artists... if the label doesn't show who played what, then yeah, it's a little difficult.

BUT, Vina's suggestion that folks could pick and choose means then that they'll KNOW who it is cuz they chose it.

Which then undoes the idea of sending out CDs for review, because the reviewer won't be able to say "the cut from PaisleyPark4 blew my mind and I wet myself", instead, they'll just say "track #11 was great".

I'm leaning back towards listing the artists. This thing is publicity-oriented. Prince or Miles could put out a record with no text on it, cuz folks don't care, they KNEW who they were getting. We need to look at the purpose of the record. Not make it HARD to find more music/information on individual artists.

More information is better. I like the idea of artist bios on the website.

otan said:

I agree with you on this Otan, and I did think about this. We could have master cds made, just like what we are doing now, only get the master files FIRST, then create the cd artwork with liner notes, lol. This way we wont get stuck like we are right now.

For project two, I think we should require wav files to be uploaded instead of mp3's.

This will kill a few birds with one stone.

Of course, list the artists on every project always...I was just playing round with the generic layout of the art.

I see

Hows that new site comin NFO?

cloud9mission said:

yup

NFO said:

Now that's te most sensible thing I have heard on this thread.

Master away, but I need an addy (physical addy) where I can send this thing.

'dre

DreZone said:

you got it!

Thanks NFO for picking up the possum and moving and shaking stuff until things started sliding along again. I know it ain't easy being sleazy, but you're the bomb.

Or something.

I played at the open jam again tonight, and, apparently, the host is punishing me. I got put with the dumbass drummer from hell, a guitarist that WANTS to be a bass player, and, well, I wanted to kill them both.

But I'm nice. I only broke beer bottles over their heads... "THIS AIN'T LUCKY LAGER!" BAM.

(kalifornia joke there.)

The only problems I see with generic packaging are 2 things. First and foremost, there is a copyright issue. Even though a written, musical, or visual work is copyrighted when it hits the medium, there is a need to display your company or personal name with the C* or P* there, and the date of completion. This ensures that your work is more official than just having a track 1 beside your song with no credits.

Secondly, everyone would have to obtain similar editing software to make the cover look similar to others. If not, there would be no standard for the look, and therefore harder to promote or sell. (example: if someone uses a standard text for the CD, then another person uses symbols or italics or some other text, there is a problem with consistency.


Peace,
JD

CURRENT TALLY:
CD without credits: 2
CD with credits: 4 (I think).

Let's keep the ball moving, make a decision and move on. This is turning into another 5-day symposium on whether blue or green is the better color.

Vina - are you whole-heartedly opposed to having credits on the CD, or would you be okay if the credits appear? For the purposes of the project, I honestly think it's a disservice to put together a compilation of various artists and NOT list their names, song titles, etc.

JDODSON said:

Ok fine, you got a point. I was just thinking of how we could get rid of people who don't come by for months. But, not everyone is going to download the artwork and print it out. Not everyone wants all the songs. Not everyone has a color printer or wants to use up all that ink. Lots of peple will just burn a cd and put it in a cd notebook and (gasp) write nfo with a sharpie on the cd itself.



Oh, I didn't expect people to be able to edit it and fill in the blanks per se. I just checked my jewel case creator and it looks like I can only use one image at a time, so its gonna be a real hassle to print out becasue I will have to do it once for each graphic, each time getting blank outlines of whatever I'm not printing on, (cd label, insert, back cover).

You know I just thought of something, if this is a double cd, why is there only one back cover? Where does a person get one of those double cd cases? Seems like there should be a disc one and disc two for those people who only have single cd cases.

otan said:

It was just an idea to make it easy to drop people who don't participate. I'm not opposed to having credits, that's silly. I'm the one who brought up credits in the first place, so people know who wrote what.

http://www.prince.org/msg...&tid=43283

Yeah, I've got a great memory.


[This message was edited Thu Jul 10 7:21:38 PDT 2003 by VinaBlue]

VinaBlue said:

Sheeeyit. I'm planning on downloading the songs, ripping out breaks and catchphrases, and making my OWN CD using ACID!!
[This message was edited Thu Jul 10 7:30:21 PDT 2003 by otan]