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Wild Colonials Online Tip-Jar
You are under absolutely no obligation to pay anything. All payments go directly to the band for band related expenses. No middle man. Consider it a simple thank you for music of the past and an investment in music to come. While at the same time giving you the opportunity to absolve any Limewire/Napster type guilt.
If you wish, you can click the link below to donate with a credit card, Paypal account or money order/check.
You can donate 50¢, $1, $5, $25 or $50 or an amount of your choice.
$10 donation and over will receive a free sticker.
An explanation: A note from Wild’s guitarist Shark…
I was out having drinks with a friend recently. He had previously given me four albums worth of mp3’s from a classic early 70’s band that I previously had no interest in at all. I knew one or two hits, but you couldn’t have paid me to listen to their music. I didn’t hate them, just didn’t care. Alright, it was Rod Stewarts first four solo albums.
Well to my surprise it is some of the most enjoyable albums I’ve heard in ages. I love the loose early 70’s production. And I was thanking my friend. (This is a great example of how music sharing is great for discovering new/old music.)
We then talked about getting music (that I love) for free. It got me thinking, I had recently bought a few ringtones that were just annoying, horrible crap at $2.50 each. No one demands that ringtones should be free!?! Why should hours of music be free, while a 20 sec irritating riff be almost $3.00?!? Where’s the outrage in that. Well, for one thing there is no “Napster type” technology for stealing ringtones. Damn, the Wild’s need to start getting into this ringtone business.
Feeling a little guilt and also realizing that the bartender had received more money from me in the last hour in tips then this band had gotten from me for the hours (and many more hours to come) of listening pleasure.
What should I do? Buy albums that I already have?!? Should the band charge double for their concerts? If they even tour at all anymore. Should I buy some T-Shirt, that may or may not be licensed from them?!?
The music business is changing on a monthly basis, I believe mostly for the better. In less than a year and we now have MySpace for new music, internet radio and 98 U.S. Tower Record Stores gone. We still have a few cool Indie record stores here in LA but we have lost about five last year alone.
So music is online now more than ever. The Wild’s have given away some mp3’s in the past and will in the future, but why should ALL of it be free. You have to admit that any argument for free music starts to fall apart when you replace the word “music” or “song-writer” with any other vocation.
Why shouldn’t plumbers work for FREE?!?
Why should I pay for cable? Take those damn commercials off if I’m paying so much! You get the idea.
Some of my musician friends are a little worried to say nothing of my engineer friends. Musicians/song writers are not compensated in other ways. For instance, in Ireland all artists (who are productive) are not taxed. That’s right U2 don’t pay taxes (they give back to Ireland in other ways). If musicians were not taxed, well then you’d have an argument for getting free music.
If I break a guitar string, blow a fuse on an amp, or break a drum head, I can’t walk into the Guitar Center and get free replacements. We go into rehearsal studios, recording studios, use recording engineers, mixers, string sections, violin bow hairs, hard drives, tape machines, etc. None of these things are donated to musicians. But when we finally finish our recorded work, getting it just right, you then get someone saying… “Why should I have to pay for it, man!”
What’s the value of entertainment.
I know there is a feeling that people have felt ripped off by corporations and blockbuster mentality. The record industry benefited from at least fifteen years of there being no viable singles format. Years ago millions bought that album by Extreme for that Everly Brothers type ballad and came home with a metal/funk album. Some people almost feel a sense of entitlement about getting their free music.
I know our society is a little backwards. It’s amazing to me what people will pay for and what they won’t. A waitress will wait on someone for over an hour, wait back and forth and get a few dollars, while if she flashes a tit in a strip bar she’ll make that much in the time in takes her to take one step. But I digress.
Back to the bar… It was suggested by my friend that there should be a safe, no questions asked, innocent opportunity to donate to your favorite band. A direct thank you for the music, the memories, whatever. Even if you bought all their stuff, just to say thanks, keep going.
So we have set up this "virtual tip jar". While there is NO obligation, if you wish, you can click below to donate with a credit card, Paypal account or money order/check.
All money received will go directly to the band for band related expenses. No middle man. And since we feel you should still get something, a $10 donation and over will receive a free sticker.
Thanks for the continued support.
Enjoy the music.
Love,
Shark
Wild Colonials
P.S. If you have any thoughts/feedback you can email me/us through wildnotes@aol.com And if you are going to complain to me about this, you have to mention in the email what YOU do for a living.
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