Area Girl Kissed, Assisted, Released April 15, 2009 10:01 PM Subscribe
Update: Jill Sobule's first fan-funded album The California Years has arrived. (Previously here, here, here, and here.)
This will not Wendell Lee.
posted by Effigy2000 at 10:47 PM on April 15, 2009
posted by Effigy2000 at 10:47 PM on April 15, 2009
Mathowie, it would be super awesome to have a little follow-up interview for the next podcast.
posted by boo_radley at 11:32 PM on April 15, 2009
posted by boo_radley at 11:32 PM on April 15, 2009
Meh. Much greater albums have been made for much less.
And I just kicked your puppy.
posted by bardic at 2:14 AM on April 16, 2009
And I just kicked your puppy.
posted by bardic at 2:14 AM on April 16, 2009
Stop having shit taste in music and I'll consider it.
posted by bardic at 2:29 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by bardic at 2:29 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Oh, SNAP!
I haven't heard it, so I have No Opinon. But I feel it in my bones that what bardic said (better albums made for less) is almost certainly true, cause it shouldn't cost a whole fat heap of money to make a good record. Not these days.
Y'all buy my latest one (totally recorded, mixed and mastered at home using Logic recording software and a Macbook) and you'll see what I mean. Sucker sounds good. I ain't ashamed to say so.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:55 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
I haven't heard it, so I have No Opinon. But I feel it in my bones that what bardic said (better albums made for less) is almost certainly true, cause it shouldn't cost a whole fat heap of money to make a good record. Not these days.
Y'all buy my latest one (totally recorded, mixed and mastered at home using Logic recording software and a Macbook) and you'll see what I mean. Sucker sounds good. I ain't ashamed to say so.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:55 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Then again, I couldn't have paid Don Was (holy christ, Don frikkin' WAS!!) to produce it...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:56 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:56 AM on April 16, 2009
What Bardic and Flapjax said.
Behaving as though you "beat the system" while still requiring all of the extravagances that put you in lock step with "the system" ≠ beating the system. Hitting up your fans for cash so that you can eat leek and fennel soup with Don Was ≠ beating the system.
A professional sounding album can be made for the cost of pro-tools, a decent mixer and some books on home recording.
But it sure is cute that she wrote a bad song featuring some of the names of people who were foolish enough to shell out for her.
posted by orville sash at 5:30 AM on April 16, 2009
Behaving as though you "beat the system" while still requiring all of the extravagances that put you in lock step with "the system" ≠ beating the system. Hitting up your fans for cash so that you can eat leek and fennel soup with Don Was ≠ beating the system.
A professional sounding album can be made for the cost of pro-tools, a decent mixer and some books on home recording.
But it sure is cute that she wrote a bad song featuring some of the names of people who were foolish enough to shell out for her.
posted by orville sash at 5:30 AM on April 16, 2009
I thought all albums were fan funded? I mean it's the sales that pay the production companies right?
posted by Pollomacho at 5:41 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by Pollomacho at 5:41 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Did Jill Sobule ever get paid by Katy Perry for the kissed a girl song? Different melody, but same title, same subject matter, etc.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:24 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 6:24 AM on April 16, 2009
Pull in your toenails. Jill has explained numerous times that the "fat money" you're talking about will be put toward making, promoting, and touring several albums. This is just the first.
posted by hermitosis at 6:31 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by hermitosis at 6:31 AM on April 16, 2009
Pull in your toenails. Jill has explained numerous times that the "fat money" you're talking about will be put toward making, promoting, and touring several albums.
Hey, when I've used my toenails, man, you'll know it.
But please don't misuse quotation marks. I said a "whole fat heap of money". I hate being misquoted.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:42 AM on April 16, 2009
Hey, when I've used my toenails, man, you'll know it.
But please don't misuse quotation marks. I said a "whole fat heap of money". I hate being misquoted.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:42 AM on April 16, 2009
OK, before I go to bed, I apologize. Music is a passion of mine and I listen to plenty of artists that people should deservedly snark upon. My taste is as shitty as anyone else, and I'm all for music being made and listened to.
But this whole project re: gimme donations to record or I won't ZOMG! always rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, if it was 20 years ago I could kind of get behind it, but there are tons of talented and under-appreciated musicians out there who don't go knocking. They simply utilize the net to make music and get their vision out there without the 2009 equivalent of a UNICEF Halloween box to get it done. The whole thing bothered me because on the one hand it was kind of lame and lazy, and on the other hand it confirmed the notion that without "A Label" nothing interesting could be made.
De gustibus and so on. Of all the deserving musicians out there, I was kind of surprised that Jill Sobule could rake in tens of thousands on the promise of making a new album, as opposed to musicians who go ahead make one on their own. This was a marketing stunt above all else. And that doesn't necessarily make the music bad, it's just weird that she ignores what other non-commercial musicians do these days in terms of recording and promoting themselves.
posted by bardic at 7:56 AM on April 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
But this whole project re: gimme donations to record or I won't ZOMG! always rubbed me the wrong way. I mean, if it was 20 years ago I could kind of get behind it, but there are tons of talented and under-appreciated musicians out there who don't go knocking. They simply utilize the net to make music and get their vision out there without the 2009 equivalent of a UNICEF Halloween box to get it done. The whole thing bothered me because on the one hand it was kind of lame and lazy, and on the other hand it confirmed the notion that without "A Label" nothing interesting could be made.
De gustibus and so on. Of all the deserving musicians out there, I was kind of surprised that Jill Sobule could rake in tens of thousands on the promise of making a new album, as opposed to musicians who go ahead make one on their own. This was a marketing stunt above all else. And that doesn't necessarily make the music bad, it's just weird that she ignores what other non-commercial musicians do these days in terms of recording and promoting themselves.
posted by bardic at 7:56 AM on April 16, 2009 [2 favorites]
Did Jill Sobule ever get paid by Katy Perry for the kissed a girl song? Different melody, but same title, same subject matter, etc.
Why would she get paid? They seem completely different to me.
posted by ODiV at 8:10 AM on April 16, 2009
Why would she get paid? They seem completely different to me.
posted by ODiV at 8:10 AM on April 16, 2009
I can't find this online, so it's possible that I made it up, but I remember reading somewhere that Sobule said she wasn't upset that there were two songs about girls kissing other girls in the last fifteen years, she was upset that there were ONLY two.
(Whoa...fifteen years. If the first "I Kissed A Girl" came out during the summer of Altamont and the moon landing, the second one came out the same year as Zen Arcade, Double Nickels on the Dime, Meat Puppets II. We're OLD, you guys.)
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:27 AM on April 16, 2009
(Whoa...fifteen years. If the first "I Kissed A Girl" came out during the summer of Altamont and the moon landing, the second one came out the same year as Zen Arcade, Double Nickels on the Dime, Meat Puppets II. We're OLD, you guys.)
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:27 AM on April 16, 2009
If the first one came out the same time as Let It Be, the second one came out the same time as Let It Be.
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:30 AM on April 16, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by Ian A.T. at 8:30 AM on April 16, 2009 [4 favorites]
Why would she get paid? They seem completely different to me.
Totally different-sounding songs, true. But identical titles and near-identical topics.
Imagine if I wrote a screenplay called "Titanic" about star-crossed lovers that meet aboard the famous ship the night before it smacks the iceberg. Only instead of Rose the hot girl and Jack the painter, it's about Robert the hot guy and Julie the sculptor. You think James Cameron wouldn't want to have a little chat with me about it?
Just wondering...
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:32 AM on April 16, 2009
Totally different-sounding songs, true. But identical titles and near-identical topics.
Imagine if I wrote a screenplay called "Titanic" about star-crossed lovers that meet aboard the famous ship the night before it smacks the iceberg. Only instead of Rose the hot girl and Jack the painter, it's about Robert the hot guy and Julie the sculptor. You think James Cameron wouldn't want to have a little chat with me about it?
Just wondering...
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:32 AM on April 16, 2009
It's a song called "I Kissed a Girl" about kissing a girl. What the hell else would she make it about?
It's as if you wrote a screenplay called "Titanic" about a ship that sinks called the Titanic. Unfortunately, you'd probably still have trouble releasing it under that name, which is pretty dumb. I don't think in either case James Cameron would want to have a chat with you, though. He'd probably have a lawyer send a letter.
posted by ODiV at 9:39 AM on April 16, 2009
It's as if you wrote a screenplay called "Titanic" about a ship that sinks called the Titanic. Unfortunately, you'd probably still have trouble releasing it under that name, which is pretty dumb. I don't think in either case James Cameron would want to have a chat with you, though. He'd probably have a lawyer send a letter.
posted by ODiV at 9:39 AM on April 16, 2009
You're just don't get it ... sorry.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:41 AM on April 16, 2009
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:41 AM on April 16, 2009
"Unfortunately, you'd probably still have trouble releasing it under that name"
No you wouldn't.
posted by PenDevil at 10:04 AM on April 16, 2009
No you wouldn't.
posted by PenDevil at 10:04 AM on April 16, 2009
there are tons of talented and under-appreciated musicians out there who don't go knocking. They simply utilize the net to make music and get their vision out there without the 2009 equivalent of a UNICEF Halloween box to get it done.
Ladies and gentlemen, Steve Unruh.
posted by adamdschneider at 10:05 AM on April 16, 2009
Ladies and gentlemen, Steve Unruh.
posted by adamdschneider at 10:05 AM on April 16, 2009
Why would she get paid? They seem completely different to me.
Totally different-sounding songs, true. But identical titles and near-identical topics.
There are lots of songs with identical titles and the same subject matter. No one cares unless the music or lyrics are plagiarized. Stop being crazy please.
posted by ludwig_van at 10:16 AM on April 16, 2009
Totally different-sounding songs, true. But identical titles and near-identical topics.
There are lots of songs with identical titles and the same subject matter. No one cares unless the music or lyrics are plagiarized. Stop being crazy please.
posted by ludwig_van at 10:16 AM on April 16, 2009
I wish James Cameron made movies about fake lesbians and Katy Perry sang songs about shipwrecks.
posted by box at 10:16 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by box at 10:16 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
I think I'll upload some stuff to music, then ask you all to donate for me to not release an album. Trust me, either way you'll pay.
posted by owtytrof at 10:21 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by owtytrof at 10:21 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
It's a song called "I Kissed a Girl" about kissing a girl. What the hell else would she make it about?
Just wait until Cool Papa Bell finds out that Patsy Cline, Aerosmith and Gnarls Barkley all have songs called "Crazy".
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:36 AM on April 16, 2009
Just wait until Cool Papa Bell finds out that Patsy Cline, Aerosmith and Gnarls Barkley all have songs called "Crazy".
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:36 AM on April 16, 2009
Totally different-sounding songs, true. But identical titles and near-identical topics.
Gotta hop on the "...and?" bandwagon* here. Titles are just titles, themes are just themes. If you're not directly lifting musical structure or significant lyrical content, there's not a hell of a lot to say here.
Laying claim over something as fuzzy as general thematic similarity would fuck all kinds of things up. People are allowed to play around with the same idea more than once, and that's a good thing.
*Henceforth known as the Andwagon.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:37 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Gotta hop on the "...and?" bandwagon* here. Titles are just titles, themes are just themes. If you're not directly lifting musical structure or significant lyrical content, there's not a hell of a lot to say here.
Laying claim over something as fuzzy as general thematic similarity would fuck all kinds of things up. People are allowed to play around with the same idea more than once, and that's a good thing.
*Henceforth known as the Andwagon.
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:37 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
Imagine if I wrote a screenplay called "Titanic" about star-crossed lovers that meet aboard the famous ship the night before it smacks the iceberg
I think your analogy would have to be a lot less specific to speak to the "I Kissed a Girl" scenario.
More like two different people wrote a song called "The Boat Ride" that both featured, you know, people riding in boats. And liking it.
posted by chococat at 10:53 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
I think your analogy would have to be a lot less specific to speak to the "I Kissed a Girl" scenario.
More like two different people wrote a song called "The Boat Ride" that both featured, you know, people riding in boats. And liking it.
posted by chococat at 10:53 AM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
I think James Cameron will neither have a nice chat with you, nor have a lawyer send a letter. He'll just come kick your lazy ass.
posted by kingbenny at 12:28 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by kingbenny at 12:28 PM on April 16, 2009
Momus you bastards Momus
Yeah, but Momus was using the patronage system to pay off legal fees incurred in a libel suit. I'm pretty sure Momus could record an album with just a MacBook and a studio apartment...
Holy shit. "Stars Forever" is ten years old.
posted by mr_roboto at 4:52 PM on April 16, 2009
Yeah, but Momus was using the patronage system to pay off legal fees incurred in a libel suit. I'm pretty sure Momus could record an album with just a MacBook and a studio apartment...
Holy shit. "Stars Forever" is ten years old.
posted by mr_roboto at 4:52 PM on April 16, 2009
I tried to think of a metaphor for Jill Sobule asking for a lot of money so she could do something that doesn't actually need to cost a lot of money anymore, but I failed. The good news is that I can now use the Jill Sobule thing as a metaphor for the next time a thing like this comes up!
posted by ignignokt at 6:52 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by ignignokt at 6:52 PM on April 16, 2009
Isn't momus the slime who didn't see why he ought to pay for software?
posted by boo_radley at 7:56 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by boo_radley at 7:56 PM on April 16, 2009
"So, the $75,000 (if I get it) is not just for recording, but for marketing, promo, publicity, etc--plus my gambling debt.
But seriously, I know I could do a great CD for not much, but I am planning on bringing in some great musicians, semi-famous guest artists, and strings.
And, I think it is naive to think that you can do all the other stuff on the cheap.
But more importantly, I am not just asking for donations. For instance, you can get a house concert and..."your own theme song"! Isn't that indie?"
posted by hermitosis at 9:58 PM on April 16, 2009
But seriously, I know I could do a great CD for not much, but I am planning on bringing in some great musicians, semi-famous guest artists, and strings.
And, I think it is naive to think that you can do all the other stuff on the cheap.
But more importantly, I am not just asking for donations. For instance, you can get a house concert and..."your own theme song"! Isn't that indie?"
posted by hermitosis at 9:58 PM on April 16, 2009
That last part of the comment really is what's important here. This wasn't about milking people for handouts. She basically sold stuff to get this money -- her time and effort as an artist, early access to the album, all sorts of things. Things that people (apparently) wanted. I'm sure if she'd simply asked for free money so she could make an album, she'd have gotten a lot less of it.
posted by hermitosis at 10:01 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by hermitosis at 10:01 PM on April 16, 2009
Just so everyone knows, my current rates are as follows:
$10 - A totally free copy of my CD.posted by ludwig_van at 10:22 PM on April 16, 2009 [1 favorite]
A six-pack of Sierra Nevada - Backstage access to my shows
A six-pack of Dogfish Head and a bong hit - I will play a concert at your house
$200 - I will write you a theme song
$500 - I will give you a handjob, record it, and put it on my next CD
Ian A.T. , i stand corrected. thanks for the pointer.
posted by boo_radley at 11:11 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by boo_radley at 11:11 PM on April 16, 2009
What will you do for a favorite? Will you send me an mp3 of you playing a single chord?
posted by dirty lies at 11:11 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by dirty lies at 11:11 PM on April 16, 2009
My rates are mostly similar to ludwig_van's, but the $500 level actually gets you a theme song about a fictional handjob by the party of your choice.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:20 PM on April 16, 2009
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:20 PM on April 16, 2009
I will contribute $5. Consider it paypaled.
posted by dirty lies at 3:59 AM on April 17, 2009
posted by dirty lies at 3:59 AM on April 17, 2009
I will contribute $5. Consider it paypaled.
posted by dirty lies
Epoysterical, for sure.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:28 AM on April 17, 2009
posted by dirty lies
Epoysterical, for sure.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:28 AM on April 17, 2009
Epoysterical, for sure.
posted by flapjax at midnite
I stand by my words. Here is $5 towards cortex's blowjob song
posted by dirty lies at 5:44 AM on April 17, 2009
posted by flapjax at midnite
I stand by my words. Here is $5 towards cortex's blowjob song
posted by dirty lies at 5:44 AM on April 17, 2009
Well, I'll be damned! It's Honest Abe hisself!
I stand corrected.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:00 AM on April 17, 2009
I stand corrected.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:00 AM on April 17, 2009
I don't think cortex will give you a fractional hand job.
posted by boo_radley at 11:33 AM on April 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by boo_radley at 11:33 AM on April 17, 2009 [1 favorite]
Song! Fractional hand job song! Shit.
posted by boo_radley at 11:34 AM on April 17, 2009
posted by boo_radley at 11:34 AM on April 17, 2009
If it was to be a 100 word song, I claim word #34.
posted by dirty lies at 1:33 PM on April 17, 2009
posted by dirty lies at 1:33 PM on April 17, 2009
hand job,
hand job,
hand job,
doin' that crazy hand job!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:55 PM on April 17, 2009
hand job,
hand job,
doin' that crazy hand job!
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:55 PM on April 17, 2009
Duh-duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh
Duh-duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh
Duh duh-duh-duh-duh duh-duh-duh-duh
duh-duh-duh-duh duh-duh ha-and job.
posted by box at 4:50 AM on April 18, 2009
Duh-duh-duh-duh, duh-duh-duh-duh-duh
Duh duh-duh-duh-duh duh-duh-duh-duh
duh-duh-duh-duh duh-duh ha-and job.
posted by box at 4:50 AM on April 18, 2009
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posted by hermitosis at 10:03 PM on April 15, 2009