amanda "$1.2m" palmer wants you to play with her for free

[scntfc]

$1.2 million from a kickstarter campaign and there's no money left to pay musicians on the resulting tour.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/ ... fair-play/

comments on the blog post are pretty great.

[Luzwei]

They also referred to the money Ms. Palmer had raised. But in the interview, she stressed that most of it went toward recording expenses and the costs of promotion and touring.

Some people should be paying for the air they breathe. That person is a fucking asshole of the grandest proportions.

[Ptommydski]

I'm actually with her on this one. She's inviting musicians to come up on stage a play along if they like. They don't have to. They don't even have to come to her shows if they don't want to. She's breaking down a barrier between the performer and the audience. I don't really have a problem with that.

[Luzwei]

Seems like a spin to me. But you have every right to feel like that. I can state the argument that she thinks so little of her music. What if those people make her songs sound really bad. Wouldn't that be even worse?

[numberthirty]

That woman is a fucking asshole of the grandest proportions.

What's the problem? You don't like the competition for first place?


She's not exactly Nino Brown. I'm sure plenty of her fans would pay her for a chance to be in her touring band.

None of my business. Come to think of it, the record's actually decent.

[righthanded]

She's breaking down a barrier between the performer and the audience.

She's charging the audience and receiving money for her performance, yes? Seems like she left a pretty big barrier in place so she can still collect a check at the end of the night from people on the other side of the barrier.

[154]

I'm actually with her on this one. She's inviting musicians to come up on stage a play along if they like. They don't have to. They don't even have to come to her shows if they don't want to. She's breaking down a barrier between the performer and the audience. I don't really have a problem with that.

If it were a case of "hey, who wants to jump up here for a few songs?", yeah. Making them learn material in advance, attending a rehearsal that afternoon, and playing the whole show? Pay the people a little you tacky shithead.

[Luzwei]

That woman is a fucking asshole of the grandest proportions.

What's the problem? You don't like the competition for first place?

I'm not even near you, buddy. Not in the same "ballpark" when it comes to being an asshole. Take care.

I'm sure plenty of her fans would pay her for a chance to be in her touring band.

Sure. I'm sure there are always people around who would pay for being up close with their idols or to hang with someone who they think more of than themselves. I just think it's not right but you might have the other opinion.

[Ptommydski]

I'm actually with her on this one. She's inviting musicians to come up on stage a play along if they like. They don't have to. They don't even have to come to her shows if they don't want to. She's breaking down a barrier between the performer and the audience. I don't really have a problem with that.

If it were a case of "hey, who wants to jump up here for a few songs?", yeah. Making them learn material in advance, attending a rehearsal that afternoon, and playing the whole show? Pay the people a little you tacky shithead.

Ah, interesting. That does make it a little different.

Having said that if they're fans of her music, they'd presumably really want to do it. I think as long as she gave them free entry to the show that'd be fine. It is voluntary after all. If they don't want to do it, they don't got to.

[DrAwkward]

I was gonna say this sounds like much ado about nothing, but after reading her initial blog post, i'm laughing with incredulity. Maybe she should start another Kickstarter to pay the part-timers.

[numberthirty]

From what I recall of the "Amanda/Cabaret tour, fans were on the bill. She played at the end. I'm pretty damn sure they didn't get paid and were cool with it.

Not the coolest play, sure. Major jerk move, probably not.

[givemenoughrope]

I would do this for O'Douls. I would just play the intro to 'Dopesmoker' through every song though. That's in my contract, cabaret douche lady.

$1.2 mil to record and promote an album. Jesus Christmas.

[154]

I would do this for O'Douls. I would just play the intro to 'Dopesmoker' through every song though. That's in my contract, cabaret douche lady.

Hah! Hey, they are playing the Metro, who wants to show up and play Inagadadavita on horns for this? You know, for hugs.

[lemur68]

Countless threads about how it's more noble to play for free, and when it's an artist outside of the PRF canon, suddenly it's a problem.

[sulfur)addict]

Countless threads about how it's more noble to play for free, and when it's an artist outside of the PRF canon, suddenly it's a problem.

$1.2 MILLION FROM HER FANS

What's so "free" about that?

What PRF band can get $30 for anything, ever? The best we do is buy each other's vinyl.

Oh wait, she's an artist, they're measly musicians. Or something.

[DrAwkward]

Countless threads about how it's more noble to play for free, and when it's an artist outside of the PRF canon, suddenly it's a problem.

I smell a strawman!

Dude, if Tar ran a $1.2 million Kickstarter and then asked a bunch of people to just show up and be semi-professional and accompany them orchestra-style, i'm pretty sure most people here would cock their eyes and be all "WTF?"

[Clyde]

They also referred to the money Ms. Palmer had raised. But in the interview, she stressed that most of it went toward recording expenses and the costs of promotion and touring.

Huh. I always thought paying the people who play with you was one of the costs of touring.


She should have just said she was looking for interns. That way she could've had them fetch her coffee too.

[righthanded]

Countless threads about how it's more noble to play for free, and when it's an artist outside of the PRF canon, suddenly it's a problem.

amanda palmer isn't playing for free so I don't see how your problem(?) with this thread is even a factor.

[numberthirty]

What PRF band can get $30 for anything, ever? The best we do is buy each other's vinyl.

Oh wait, she's an artist, they're measly musicians. Or something.

I'd pay thirty bucks to see any band Pete is playing guitar in. They just never charge that much.

[scntfc]

Maybe she should start another Kickstarter to pay the part-timers.

this is an excellent idea. i posted it on her blog. and i wonder what the feasibility is of doing it third party? i'm guessing it would violate some kickstarter rules, but it would be pretty awesome if someone was able to get the musicians paid independently of her promotional machine.