Why Unmediated Productions Is Hibernating
(Cross-posted on the UMP website and Unwoman's Music and Events Tribe)

There is a whole industry that survives on taking advantage of struggling independent artists and emerging labels. It’s very similar to playing the lottery. You know you will spend a relatively small amount of money, and you have to have faith that there’s a chance you can actually succeed. Through what seems like positive and supportive rhetoric, these companies get you to believe in yourself so much that you invest much of your income in an impossible dream.

I am simply fed up with this. I will not spend another single dime on my music, nor will I invest large amounts of time, until I know that people will actually buy it. Time and money are precious to me, and I have very little of either.

It’s very tempting to hear the negative experiences of your peers and think, “That’ll never happen to me, I’m too smart to overspend” or “I can afford advertising (it’s the only way to get reviewed in major music magazines, and even the larger underground magazines) because the sales will increase if I place ads and get reviews.”

Unless you are 90% salesperson, 10% artist, you will not succeed unless you are very lucky and you have a huge following that is willing to support you. But if you are 90% salesperson, chances are you are making the kind of unoriginal drivel that’s so popular now and that is used as a trigger to suck real artists in because they say, “I could do so much better than that!”

The fact is, people don’t want “better.” They don’t even want to pay for pop music, so why would anyone pay for truly original material?

I say we give people what they want, what they’re willing to pay for. I will give the general public nothing. Screw them. I will do music for myself and share it with the few people who are actually supportive. I have nothing against those who dislike my music, or those who don’t like it enough to actually pay for it, but I feel no obligation to sacrifice my time, money, or talent for them.

For the people who’ve gone on a limb and actually spent $6-$12 on UMP music, or are willing to spend $10.00 in the future, I’ll offer my next CD, which will be a short run (300 copies) and for which only 50 promo copies will be sent. That means only 250 copies for general public consumption -- not a lot, but I know I won’t have boxes and boxes sitting around my house as I do for Knowledge Scars and TMI. This CD will be released sometime in Spring of 2004.

The three current UMP releases will still be available via CD Baby (who, unlike any other online catalog has actually sold copies to people other than my friends) as well as directly from UMP, but I will not spend another dime on their promotion.

You ask, “but, doesn’t a true artist create, always, regardless of monetary situation?” When a true artist works fulltime+ and commutes via bus 2.5 hours a day, and has family commitments, this artist may not have any time to create. It may drive her absolutely crazy, but if she’s sick of staring at a computer screen all day the last thing she may want when she comes home is her own computer staring back at her. This doesn’t even begin to include the money that being a “casual” artist costs – which is extreme.

To my fellow artists: Be wary of anything that costs you money in your own promotion. Starting out isn't free, especially as far as gear is concerned. But be very wary of anything that promises to gain you recognition, that you must pay for. If it seems to good to be true, it definitely is.

To my fans: Pleae don't think I want to downplay the importance of your support. You mean a hell of a lot to me.

To those who have tried to promote UMP materials: I realize that in most cases you made a valiant effort, and every little bit helps a little bit, but I won't be using any services I have to pay for, ever again. I feel that I'm worth so much more than that now.