A lot of truth being told in this interview. I will probably never be a fan of buying MP3 albums, no matter how many PDF files of artwork it comes with. There’s just something special and fulfilling about owning a piece of vinyl compared to a random file on your computer. I know all the arguments for going digital such as saving physical space and no skipping if you’re a DJ but I’ve always felt like MP3s are soulless and absolutely worthless, just like CDs. But that’s just me. Link
What inspired you to go the In Rainbows route with this album?
Saul: From the start, I remember Trent saying, “Let’s give it away for free.” At first, I was like, “This dude is out of his mind!” But then it really started making sense, and, of course, with Radiohead doing it, we were like, “What the fuck? The idea that we had was great, and we should really follow it through.”
Trent: I think it’s just an awkward time right now to be a musician. The reality is that people think it’s okay to steal music. There’s a whole generation of people, that’s all they’ve known. I used to buy vinyl. Today, if you do put out a record on a label, traditionally, most people are going to hear it via a leak that happens two weeks — if not two months — before it comes out. There’s no real way around that. I’m truly saddened because I think music has been devalued, so that it’s just a file on your computer, and it’s usually free. But we can’t change that. What we can do is try to offer people the best experience that we can provide them. Will it work? I don’t know. But I think it’s a great way to get music out to people who are interested. At the end of the day, all I care about is the integrity of the music, and that the feeling of those who experience it is as untainted as possible. I’d rather it not be on an iPod commercial. I’d rather it not be a ringtone that you have to get with a free cell phone or any of that bullshit.
What do you think about OiNK being shut down?
Trent: I’ll admit I had an account there and frequented it quite often. At the end of the day, what made OiNK a great place was that it was like the world’s greatest record store. Pretty much anything you could ever imagine, it was there, and it was there in the format you wanted. If OiNK cost anything, I would certainly have paid, but there isn’t the equivalent of that in the retail space right now. iTunes kind of feels like Sam Goody to me. I don’t feel cool when I go there. I’m tired of seeing John Mayer’s face pop up. I feel like I’m being hustled when I visit there, and I don’t think their product is that great. DRM, low bit rate, etc. Amazon has potential, but none of them get around the issue of pre-release leaks. And that’s what’s such a difficult puzzle at the moment. If your favorite band in the world has a leaked record out, do you listen to it or do you not listen to it? People on those boards, they’re grateful for the person that uploaded it — they’re the hero. They’re not stealing it because they’re going to make money off of it; they’re stealing it because they love the band. I’m not saying that I think OiNK is morally correct, but I do know that it existed because it filled a void of what people want.
see also:
Niggy Tardust Presented By Saul Williams For Online Release Only, Free If You Want It To Be
