October 2009

Public Enemy is turning to its fans to help finance the recording of its 13th studio release.

The legendary hip-hop group has joined SellaBand, an Amsterdam-based web community where fans, or "Believers," can buy shares--or "parts"--of an upcoming album in exchange for an incentive.

PE is offering 10,000 parts for $25 each to record and promote the worldwide release of its 2010 album, according to the SellaBand website.

The band has set up a seven-level incentive plan, beginning with "Believers" who will receive an exclusive numbered CD in Digipak in exchange for one part purchased. Additional incentives range from an autographed CD and exclusive T-shirt to an unlimited-use backstage pass for three years and producer credit.

The top incentive, limited to five investors, is 400 parts ($10,000) which includes all the extras plus a studio visit during the recording session.

PE is the first major recording artist to enlist the fan-funded site, which launched in August of 2006 and has helped fund recordings for more than 30 artists from the U.S., Europe, the UK, Japan, South America and Canada.

Since announcing its SellaBand venture on Oct. 6, more than 400 Believers had invested nearly $20,000 in the upcoming PE album by the morning of Oct. 8.

http://www.livedaily.com/...20347.html


Press release from SellaBand:




SellaBand is proud to announce the arrival of Public Enemy. The legendary hiphop group start fund raising today for their next album, which will officially be their 13th studio recording. The band, led by enigmatic frontman Chuck D. aim to raise an impressive $250,000. Parts will be priced at $25,00 each and will entitle Believers in this project to a unique, numbered digipak edition of the CD, as well as a pro ratio share of 33,3% of all net revenues generated with this album.

Public Enemy is the first established act to sign up with SellaBand. “SellaBand's financial engine model goes about restructuring the music business in reverse,” says PE frontman Chuck D. “It starts with fans first, then the artists create from there. The music business is built on searching for fans and this is a brand new way for acts to create a new album with fans first, already on board.”

Longtime champions of self-ownership of music and marketing as well as direct interaction with their fans, Public Enemy see the partnership as a natural evolution of their philosophy about the business of music. SellaBand CEO Johan Vosmeijer is equally thrilled: “Our goal is to empower the artist and their fans, both creatively and commercially. Working with Public Enemy is an incredibly exciting way to take the European success we’ve built over the past three years and offer it to stateside bands.”


http://www.sellaband.com/

Interesting site... Just stumbled across a song called 'Burn' by someone called Francis Rodino. It's pretty good.

http://www.sellaband.com/...ncisrodino

I wonder why Public Enemy's costs are so high? I wonder if it's something to do with paying for samples?