1. Thank you for 🔂linking🔂 to my essay – means a lot!
2. I can only speak for myself, but as a paying subscriber I really don't crave any exclusive content. You're already extremely (too?!) generous with all your fans and I'm just happy to continue supporting you and your art in any way I can. If you have fun, we have fun.
3. My daughter cut off a chunk of her hair last week after watching the I Cut My Own Hair video a number of times. Note to self: don't leave scissors, like, right there.
I have to agree with Hayley and Emma, I don't expect anything extra for my subscription fee. I'm paying solely because I like you guys and what you do - maybe it's the socialist in me, but it just makes sense to chip in a few bucks to help provide something everyone can enjoy, especially folks who might want to but can't afford it (I've certainly been in that situation often enough).
Plus, at any given point I can claim I bought my favourite band a beer this month. That always feels cool as hell.
Fabulous, as always! This is a great anniversary edition. The way it meanders fully embraces everything I love about a Stoop Chat. Going forward please just keep on doing exactly what you’ve been doing for the last year - it’s great!
Your merch discussion was really interesting. In the UK I believe the issue is largely (as you describe) with chain venues (such as O2 Academy - of which Kentish Town Forum is one) insisting on taking responsibility for all sales and therefore taking a cut. It’s just another way for the already wealthy to screw over everyone else. Ironically, most independent venues, who could actually use the cash, do not do this because it is inherently unfair on the artist. The Leadmill’s on-going difficulties, as far as I can see, also stem from businessmen trying to make a quick buck off of a business built on a passion for music and a desire to help small artists grow. We have so many excellent small venues in the UK but financially they are up against it. It’s a sad state of affairs, especially when people will pay hundreds of pounds to see artists on stadium tours. It really is a two tier system.
From the photo, it looks like this might be where ‘That time at the bar’ was filmed. Is that correct, or is that just the generic appearance of all roof top bars in New York?
You're right — this is the soundstage (a.k.a. bar rooftop) where we shot "That Time at the Bar." Good eye.
Your comment on merch fees accurately states something that I think we were a little blurry about in the Stoop Chat: it's usually venues taking a piece of merch, not promoters. A notable and not uncommon exception happens when the promoter owns the venue, as LiveNation does the House of Blues clubs (and many others). Indeed, LiveNation's smaller clubs, like the HOBs or Irving Plaza in NYC, have reliably taken a cut of band merch for years, which is why their new policy is quite welcome. As I said in the chat, I'm ambivalent about the fairness of venues taking a piece of merch — it doesn't strike me as inherently immoral or anything, like indentured servitude or phishing scams. The venue is providing a retail space for the band to operate in, and elsewhere in the world we wouldn't suggest that it's only fair for a retails space to be provided gratis. Yes, the band is putting on a show and thus providing the draw for the evening, etc., but they get paid for the show, via a fee that's negotiated separately.
Arguments about this issue that I'm familiar with seem to boil down to the idea that the band needs that bit of money more than the venue does. Which seems like an impossible claim to make categorically — surely that would vary by band and by venue.
Yes, I do agree that it should depend on the circumstances. My take (certainly in the UK) is that it tends to be venues which are owned by larger companies which take a cut as opposed to the independents who could justifiably argue a need for additional income. As I said above, that does feel wrong to me.
Re Substack, I'm interested in how you're finding it. More and more writers and journalists that I follow are starting to post stuff on here. I have a wee blog myself, currently on Wordpress, but it's getting increasingly costly, they keep trying to sell me add-ons and extras and pushing me to monetise my site which I really don't like. I'm thinking of making the switch over to Substack mainly cos it seems simpler and more streamlined, certainly from a reader's perspective, I'm not sure about the back office workings.. I suppose no platform is perfect though.
1. Thank you for 🔂linking🔂 to my essay – means a lot!
2. I can only speak for myself, but as a paying subscriber I really don't crave any exclusive content. You're already extremely (too?!) generous with all your fans and I'm just happy to continue supporting you and your art in any way I can. If you have fun, we have fun.
3. My daughter cut off a chunk of her hair last week after watching the I Cut My Own Hair video a number of times. Note to self: don't leave scissors, like, right there.
We've received distressingly few reports of the ICMOH video having its desired subversive effect. Thank you for this.
I have to agree with Hayley and Emma, I don't expect anything extra for my subscription fee. I'm paying solely because I like you guys and what you do - maybe it's the socialist in me, but it just makes sense to chip in a few bucks to help provide something everyone can enjoy, especially folks who might want to but can't afford it (I've certainly been in that situation often enough).
Plus, at any given point I can claim I bought my favourite band a beer this month. That always feels cool as hell.
"Yes" to these socialist vibes!! 😻
I love this ❤️
I wholeheartedly agree with Hayley J Dunlop's comment regarding content. You guys are alright.
Fabulous, as always! This is a great anniversary edition. The way it meanders fully embraces everything I love about a Stoop Chat. Going forward please just keep on doing exactly what you’ve been doing for the last year - it’s great!
Your merch discussion was really interesting. In the UK I believe the issue is largely (as you describe) with chain venues (such as O2 Academy - of which Kentish Town Forum is one) insisting on taking responsibility for all sales and therefore taking a cut. It’s just another way for the already wealthy to screw over everyone else. Ironically, most independent venues, who could actually use the cash, do not do this because it is inherently unfair on the artist. The Leadmill’s on-going difficulties, as far as I can see, also stem from businessmen trying to make a quick buck off of a business built on a passion for music and a desire to help small artists grow. We have so many excellent small venues in the UK but financially they are up against it. It’s a sad state of affairs, especially when people will pay hundreds of pounds to see artists on stadium tours. It really is a two tier system.
From the photo, it looks like this might be where ‘That time at the bar’ was filmed. Is that correct, or is that just the generic appearance of all roof top bars in New York?
You're right — this is the soundstage (a.k.a. bar rooftop) where we shot "That Time at the Bar." Good eye.
Your comment on merch fees accurately states something that I think we were a little blurry about in the Stoop Chat: it's usually venues taking a piece of merch, not promoters. A notable and not uncommon exception happens when the promoter owns the venue, as LiveNation does the House of Blues clubs (and many others). Indeed, LiveNation's smaller clubs, like the HOBs or Irving Plaza in NYC, have reliably taken a cut of band merch for years, which is why their new policy is quite welcome. As I said in the chat, I'm ambivalent about the fairness of venues taking a piece of merch — it doesn't strike me as inherently immoral or anything, like indentured servitude or phishing scams. The venue is providing a retail space for the band to operate in, and elsewhere in the world we wouldn't suggest that it's only fair for a retails space to be provided gratis. Yes, the band is putting on a show and thus providing the draw for the evening, etc., but they get paid for the show, via a fee that's negotiated separately.
Arguments about this issue that I'm familiar with seem to boil down to the idea that the band needs that bit of money more than the venue does. Which seems like an impossible claim to make categorically — surely that would vary by band and by venue.
Yes, I do agree that it should depend on the circumstances. My take (certainly in the UK) is that it tends to be venues which are owned by larger companies which take a cut as opposed to the independents who could justifiably argue a need for additional income. As I said above, that does feel wrong to me.
Just listening back to this. Wondering if you ever did, in fact, confirm Carne’s favourite drummer?
Re Substack, I'm interested in how you're finding it. More and more writers and journalists that I follow are starting to post stuff on here. I have a wee blog myself, currently on Wordpress, but it's getting increasingly costly, they keep trying to sell me add-ons and extras and pushing me to monetise my site which I really don't like. I'm thinking of making the switch over to Substack mainly cos it seems simpler and more streamlined, certainly from a reader's perspective, I'm not sure about the back office workings.. I suppose no platform is perfect though.