Slightly off-topic, but since Yancey was one of the founders and there are some music-related stats I thought you guys might be interested in the Kickstarter 2012 Year in Review.
For the (no pun intended) record, the music category had to most successfully funded projects.
Not an album, but a port adapter for the most recent iMacs. It clips on to the bottom of your iMac screen to give you a front audio jack and USB port. I gave them $1 since I have an older iMac.
I've been checking out new board and card games (looking for things to break the hold video games have over my son), and I am shocked at the number that have been Kickstarter projects--games that will be releases by major games publishers at the time the project goes live. These are far from independent or first time publications. One project, which had won a major award for first time developers and secured backing from a major publisher, was asking a few thousand dollars in order to upgrade the quality of the box. Needless to say, their project was overfunded several times. Cynically, it seems that some approach Kickstarter as a way of taking pre-orders for things that publisher are not only already committed to, but may already sense will be big hits. Moreover, I think Kickstarter is accepting these projects in order bolster its success rates.
If anyone is still tracking Kickstarter, I'd love to know how things are unfolding in other media.
Have not been following kickstarter, but the curve sounds familiar. Ebay used to be a place where you could buy bargain used items from other users; now, for music I search for at least, it seems to be almost entirely a commercial outlet for used CD businesses, with prices usually higher than elsewhere for the same CD. It has progressed from yard sale to outlet mall. I suspect it is likely to be the case within this economy/culture that any selling/funding platform that gains traction will fairly quickly be colonized by more organized commercial interests (who can afford to pay people to figure out how to leverage them). Has anyone out there been theorizing/tracking this kind of trend I wonder?
I have bought a few albums from some semi-obscure artists I already enjoy, and generally think of it as similar to giving to my local PBS station. They get to make an album and I get a few spiffs, a signed CD, usually they toss a sticker or thank you note in the envelope. I backed the MOS Reach power cord, since I thought that was a pretty good idea.
This is actually indiegogo and not quite an album but it sort of fits this thread.
Apparently Rafael Anton Irisarri was moving house earlier this year and the removal truck containing all of his possessions was broken into and everything stolen. And since it included all his equipment, it affected his ability to work. Ghostly International are running a kickstarter-style fundraiser to help get him running again.
I know some folk on here like his music. One of the support options is $20 to download the whole back catalogue of The Sight Below. (There are other options).
I hadn't seen this posted on emusers and the kickstarter campaign is wrapping up in 5 days so I figured I'd post it in case anyone here is interested:
De La Soul (who for a brief window last year provided links to download most (if not all) of their catalog about a year ago) (thanks bremble for posting that link back then)) is having a kickstarter for their new album:
A few months ago, I sat next to Elliot McConnell at a prog concert, a young guy who was making plans to record his first jazz/prog concept album. His kickstarter for the project just went live - I think it might interest a few folk on here:
Comments
For the (no pun intended) record, the music category had to most successfully funded projects.
tl;dr - change your KickStarter password.
Craig
I've been checking out new board and card games (looking for things to break the hold video games have over my son), and I am shocked at the number that have been Kickstarter projects--games that will be releases by major games publishers at the time the project goes live. These are far from independent or first time publications. One project, which had won a major award for first time developers and secured backing from a major publisher, was asking a few thousand dollars in order to upgrade the quality of the box. Needless to say, their project was overfunded several times. Cynically, it seems that some approach Kickstarter as a way of taking pre-orders for things that publisher are not only already committed to, but may already sense will be big hits. Moreover, I think Kickstarter is accepting these projects in order bolster its success rates.
If anyone is still tracking Kickstarter, I'd love to know how things are unfolding in other media.
I did miss out on the potato salad kickstarter.
:-)
Apparently Rafael Anton Irisarri was moving house earlier this year and the removal truck containing all of his possessions was broken into and everything stolen. And since it included all his equipment, it affected his ability to work. Ghostly International are running a kickstarter-style fundraiser to help get him running again.
I know some folk on here like his music. One of the support options is $20 to download the whole back catalogue of The Sight Below. (There are other options).
The link is Here.
De La Soul (who for a brief window last year provided links to download most (if not all) of their catalog about a year ago) (thanks bremble for posting that link back then)) is having a kickstarter for their new album:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1519102394/de-la-souls-new-album?
Help Us Republish Daphne Oram's "An Individual Note..."
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/amplifierfoundation/we-the-people-public-art-for-the-inauguration-and
Join Cuneiform Records and Art Zoyd to Help Create Their First-Ever Box Set.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/787933147/901-editions-label-relaunch
There is a good range of participation levels.