Wu-Tang Clan Releases New Album -- Will Sell Only ONE Copy (1 Viewer)

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Interesting idea.

 

[comfortably numb]

Will be fun to follow this story

 

[VA703]

I'm a show this metamorphysis as the King takes his office

Keep my planets in orbit, never forfeit, or quit,

move forward, I talk with the awkward slang

I walk with, the Wu-Tang

 

[zoonation]

Good idea. Won't work. It will leak.

 

[krista4]

Will be fun to follow this story

 

[Kenny Powers]

Not sure what to make of this...I certainly wont be buying the single copy, but Id throw down $20 to listen on headphones at the kind of thing theyre describing.

New Wu this summer is also a

 

[mquinnjr]

It's torture (words I can't type on here)!!!

 

[Tom Servo]

I'd buy it. Then I would blast it to the moon to save earth the torture of having to listen to it. Maybe I'll keep the box.

 

[Pots]

I hope it leaks before it's sold.

 

[proninja]

I hope it leaks before it's sold.

I don't understand this. I mean, I think it's likely to leak (or at least some crappy recording gets out), but why would you root for it to happen? If you make a product, shouldn't you be able to have a say in how it is distributed?

I'm rooting for it not to leak. Let them give this a shot. If it works and they make lots of cash, good for them. If it doesn't and they don't, well, they weren't going to make a ton of cash off of pirated mp3's anyway, and they can always take it to iTunes after the fact.

 

[McGarnicle]

Dumb.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

No way is this a marketing gimmick.

 

[VA703]

im sure whoever buys it will leak it., if anything they wont leak the entire album

 

[Mr. Irrelevant]

Good idea. Won't work. It will leak.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if the "leak" wound up being stage-managed, probably in the days leading up to the "sale". At least, that's what I'd do if I were marketing this bad boy. Probably make more money by "relenting" and putting it out somewhere for download at the time of maximum buzz than you would by pawning the original off on one guy anyway.

I'd buy it. Then I would blast it to the moon to save earth the torture of having to listen to it. Maybe I'll keep the box.

I like Wu-Tang more than most present-day hip-hop, but this still made me .

 

[pats3in4]

Konichiwa, #######!

 

[comfortably numb]

im sure whoever buys it will leak it., if anything they wont leak the entire album

What's the point of spending a boatload of money on this and then leaking a song?

Wouldn't you just rather sell each song?

 

[VA703]

im sure whoever buys it will leak it., if anything they wont leak the entire album

What's the point of spending a boatload of money on this and then leaking a song?

Wouldn't you just rather sell each song?

if I had the money to spend on something like this and was a true wu fan.. id share it but i can see what you're saying.. all depends on the persons motives

 

[TobiasFunke]

I love that this article is in Forbes, but I'm embarrassed that not one commenter suggested that "you need to diversify your bonds, #####"

 

[DocHolliday]

If I was a fan of Wu-Tang, I would be irritated that they are so obvious about making music just for the money. At least pretend like you care about the fans like most bands do.

 

[TobiasFunke]

If I was a fan of Wu-Tang, I would be irritated that they are so obvious about making music just for the money. At least pretend like you care about the fans like most bands do.

Yeah, I also hate it when artists are honest and forthright. One thing that you find in all great art is a complete lack of integrity.

 

[Hang 10]

Not sure what to make of this...I certainly wont be buying the single copy, but Id throw down $20 to listen on headphones at the kind of thing theyre describing.

New Wu this summer is also a

Excuse me because I didn't read the whole article but it sounds like you're saying you pay $20 to listen to the album once? Is that right?

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Good idea. Won't work. It will leak.

It will leak no matter what they do. I think this is partly a reaction to that -- so they're going to get paid a fortune (initial estimates are low seven figures) up front. With no middle man.

 

[comfortably numb]

Not sure what to make of this...I certainly wont be buying the single copy, but Id throw down $20 to listen on headphones at the kind of thing theyre describing.

New Wu this summer is also a

Excuse me because I didn't read the whole article but it sounds like you're saying you pay $20 to listen to the album once? Is that right?

Yea, I think the intent is to have it travel around like a King Tut exhibit all across the world.

Have people pay $ to listen with headphones for the experience and eventually have it sold?

 

[VA703]

I think the headphone only tour is lame, but the fact that it will leak and be free for everyone is a thumbs up

 

[McGarnicle]

If my favorite band gave me the option of paying millions for the single copy of their new album, or pay an admission fee to listen once on headphones, they wouldn't be my favorite band anymore.

 

[msommer]

If I was a fan of Wu-Tang, I would be irritated that they are so obvious about making music just for the money. At least pretend like you care about the fans like most bands do.

Maybe they liken their album to a painting. There is only one original, There could be many inferior copies.

 

[Hang 10]

If I was a fan of Wu-Tang, I would be irritated that they are so obvious about making music just for the money. At least pretend like you care about the fans like most bands do.

Yeah, I also hate it when artists are honest and forthright. One thing that you find in all great art is a complete lack of integrity.

Yeah, I haven't listened 36 chambers in a while but the one thing that has always stood out to me about their lyrics was the Wu's integrity.

 

[DocHolliday]

If I was a fan of Wu-Tang, I would be irritated that they are so obvious about making music just for the money. At least pretend like you care about the fans like most bands do.

Yeah, I also hate it when artists are honest and forthright. One thing that you find in all great art is a complete lack of integrity.

Yeah, I haven't listened 36 chambers in a while but the one thing that has always stood out to me about their lyrics was the Wu's integrity.

Like McGarnicle, I cannot imagine paying $20 to listen to any album one time.

I am curious to see how this plays out. It is a great marketing ploy if nothing else.

 

[Timmay]

I like Wu-Tang Clan, but I wouldn't be spending $20+ to listen to the album once. I wouldn't even spend that much to buy the album.

Somehow, someway it will leak.

 

[McGarnicle]

If I was a fan of Wu-Tang, I would be irritated that they are so obvious about making music just for the money. At least pretend like you care about the fans like most bands do.

Maybe they liken their album to a painting. There is only one original, There could be many inferior copies.

Yeah, except there are millions of copies of true classic albums in circulation. This would have to be the finest collection of music ever recorded to warrant this treatment. Anything less and they look like idiots.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

It seems absurd to spend $20 to listen to an album once just because we're not accustomed to the idea. People pay almost that much to see a movie once. What if the Wu-Tang album was played in a movie theater while some old Kung-Fu movie was projected on the screen? Still absurd?

 

[McGarnicle]

It seems absurd to spend $20 to listen to an album once just because we're not accustomed to the idea. People pay almost that much to see a movie once. What if the Wu-Tang album was played in a movie theater while some old Kung-Fu movie was projected on the screen? Still absurd?

Kinda, yeah.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

It seems absurd to spend $20 to listen to an album once just because we're not accustomed to the idea. People pay almost that much to see a movie once. What if the Wu-Tang album was played in a movie theater while some old Kung-Fu movie was projected on the screen? Still absurd?

In that context, it would be something similar to a Pink Floyd laser show, or a movie theater viewing of The Wall. In other words, what you're describing has been done before, but the album itself is still available for separate purchase.

I think the difference from the standpoint of consumer demand is that lots of people are completely happy to see a particular movie once and once only, whereas those same people want the ability to listen to an album over and over again.

 

[Timmay]

It seems absurd to spend $20 to listen to an album once just because we're not accustomed to the idea. People pay almost that much to see a movie once. What if the Wu-Tang album was played in a movie theater while some old Kung-Fu movie was projected on the screen? Still absurd?

Isn't that why they put on concerts?

 

[bonesman]

Neva teach the WuTang!

 

[Hang 10]

It seems absurd to spend $20 to listen to an album once just because we're not accustomed to the idea. People pay almost that much to see a movie once. What if the Wu-Tang album was played in a movie theater while some old Kung-Fu movie was projected on the screen? Still absurd?

No, it's not absurd because we're not accustomed to it. It's just absurd. I can buy most albums digitally for around $10 and I can listen to it as often as I like. Why would I ever pay more for less?

 

[AcerFC]

Cash rulez everything around me, Cream get the money, Dollar Dollar bill yo

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

I think the difference from the standpoint of consumer demand is that lots of people are completely happy to see a particular movie once and once only, whereas those same people want the ability to listen to an album over and over again.

Right, the question is whether there's something inherent about music and film that makes this true, or whether it's just due to our ingrained expectations from many years of having it be this way. I don't really know, but it's sort of an interesting thought experiment.

 

[Joe T]

I'd buy it. Then I would blast it to the moon to save earth the torture of having to listen to it. Maybe I'll keep the box.

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

It seems absurd to spend $20 to listen to an album once just because we're not accustomed to the idea. People pay almost that much to see a movie once. What if the Wu-Tang album was played in a movie theater while some old Kung-Fu movie was projected on the screen? Still absurd?

No, it's not absurd because we're not accustomed to it. It's just absurd. I can buy most albums digitally for around $10 and I can listen to it as often as I like. Why would I ever pay more for less?

I assume because you really want to listen to this particular album and it is not being made available through normal channels.

"I can go look at free paintings pretty much any time I want at art galleries. Why would I pay to go to an art museum?"

 

[Hang 10]

It seems absurd to spend $20 to listen to an album once just because we're not accustomed to the idea. People pay almost that much to see a movie once. What if the Wu-Tang album was played in a movie theater while some old Kung-Fu movie was projected on the screen? Still absurd?

No, it's not absurd because we're not accustomed to it. It's just absurd. I can buy most albums digitally for around $10 and I can listen to it as often as I like. Why would I ever pay more for less?

I assume because you really want to listen to this particular album and it is not being made available through normal channels.

"I can go look at free paintings pretty much any time I want at art galleries. Why would I pay to go to an art museum?"

Music is consumed differently than other mediums. But yeah, I don't go to museums to look at art very much either...by that I mean never.

 

[dickey moe]

No way is this a marketing gimmick.

LOL

 

[msommer]

If I was a fan of Wu-Tang, I would be irritated that they are so obvious about making music just for the money. At least pretend like you care about the fans like most bands do.

Maybe they liken their album to a painting. There is only one original, There could be many inferior copies.

Yeah, except there are millions of copies of true classic albums in circulation. This would have to be the finest collection of music ever recorded to warrant this treatment. Anything less and they look like idiots.

They might be idiots. Still this may be what they are striving for.

 

[dickey moe]

Music for the 0.000000001%.

 

[shadyridr]

If my favorite band gave me the option of paying millions for the single copy of their new album, or pay an admission fee to listen once on headphones, they wouldn't be my favorite band anymore.

Who says theyre doing the bolded?

Forget it I read the article a second time. Missed that the first time. I thought the listening sessions were free for invitees. Yeah thats pretty annoying

 

[AcerFC]

If my favorite band gave me the option of paying millions for the single copy of their new album, or pay an admission fee to listen once on headphones, they wouldn't be my favorite band anymore.

Who says theyre doing the bolded?

the article

According to RZA and the album’s main producer Tarik “Cilvaringz” Azzougarh, a Morocco-based part of Wu-Tang’s extended family, the plan is to first take Once Upon A Time In Shaolin on a “tour” through museums, galleries, festivals and the like. Just like a high-profile exhibit at a major institution, there will be a cost to attend, likely in the $30-$50 range.

 

[Fariq]

Dumb.

I agree with your particular point of view on this subject.

 

[Zigg]

This ain't nothin' to f with.

 

[DocHolliday]

$30 to $50 to listen to any album one time is crazy talk.

I do love this idea though just to see how it plays out. I like the creative thinking.

 

[wilked]

History demonstrates that great musicians such as Beethoven, Mozart and Bach are held in the same high esteem as figures like Picasso, Michelangelo and Van Gogh. However, the creative output of today’s artists such as The RZA, Kanye West or Dr. Dre, is not valued equally to that of artists like Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst or Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Is exclusivity versus mass replication really the 50 million dollar difference between a microphone and a paintbrush? Is contemporary art overvalued in an exclusive market, or are musicians undervalued in a profoundly saturated market? By adopting a 400 year old Renaissance-style approach to music, offering it as a commissioned commodity and allowing it to take a similar trajectory from creation to exhibition to sale, as any other contemporary art piece, we hope to inspire and intensify urgent debates about the future of music. We hope to steer those debates toward more radical solutions and provoke questions about the value and perception of music as a work of art in today’s world.

While we fully embrace the advancements in music technology, we feel it has contributed to the devaluation of music as an art form. By taking this step, we hope to re-enforce the weight that music once carried alongside a painting or a sculpture. The album will be put on listening display in renowned galleries, museums, venues and exhibition spaces around the world for only the most dedicated to experience before it disappears into the private collection of a buyer. The public will know that what they will hear will be a once in a life time experience.

A notable few have explored original and creative economic models. Prince, Radiohead and more recently Jay Z and Beyonce have all introduced new financial and distribution models and challenged the industry structure. In 1993, the Wu-Tang Clan introduced the revolutionary ‘Wu-Tang deal’ which allowed the group to sign with one record label as an entity, but sign separate deals with other major labels for solo releases. It was an approach adopted by many groups that followed. Now 21 years later a new approach is introduced, one where the pride and joy of sharing music with the masses is sacrificed for the benefit of reviving music as a valuable art and inspiring debate about its future among musicians, fans and the industry that drives it. Simultaneously, it launches the private music branch as a new luxury business model for those able to commission musicians to create songs or albums for private collections. It is a fascinating melting pot of art, luxury, revolution and inspiration. It’s welcoming people to an old world.“

-Cilvaringz & The RZA

http://scluzay.com/