Sam Rosenthal's black tape for a blue girl have been making music for 30 years or so on his own label, Projekt Records. As the record industry changed Rosenthal began looking for new ways to market music. One way he found was via crowdfunding.
"The music business has changed so drastically since the 80s and 90s. As an artist, I need to change with the landscape and figure out what works to allow me to keep making art, and connect with the people who really care about what I create. Crowdfunding is ideal for that. For example, sometimes I ask Kickstarter pledgers how they discovered the band. And often it’s some variation of, 'Oh, I remember your music from the 90s. I didn’t even know you were still around. This is cool that I can help out,'" he says. "It’s very much a personal connection to a few people who really care about my music. Yes, fleeting will be out there on Spotify and YouTube, and will be heard by the most people that way. But in order to bring in the funding necessary to record and pay my band, I need something more direct then just the royalties that might be earned down the road from sales. Because you and I both know where sales are at these days."
"The music business has changed so drastically since the 80s and 90s. As an artist, I need to change with the landscape and figure out what works to allow me to keep making art, and connect with the people who really care about what I create. Crowdfunding is ideal for that. For example, sometimes I ask Kickstarter pledgers how they discovered the band. And often it’s some variation of, 'Oh, I remember your music from the 90s. I didn’t even know you were still around. This is cool that I can help out,'" he says. "It’s very much a personal connection to a few people who really care about my music. Yes, fleeting will be out there on Spotify and YouTube, and will be heard by the most people that way. But in order to bring in the funding necessary to record and pay my band, I need something more direct then just the royalties that might be earned down the road from sales. Because you and I both know where sales are at these days."
PLEDGE TO THE KICKSTARTER HERE
The new LP will be a deluxe CD and double LP. The standard edition will be August 12, 2016. It has been over seven years since the band released a record.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the band. Rosenthal was making music for three years before that.
"For this one, musically I decided to make an album that goes back and touches upon the band’s 90s sound. The ethereal, gothic, heavenly voices sound.
Plus more instrumentals than on the last few releases," says Rosenthal. "I’ve been doing a lot more crowdfunding over the last few years, and this choice is somewhat inspired by what I’m hearing from the people who support my music: the aspect of the band they are really excited about. But it also just feels right to me at this moment. 10 Neurotics was pretty much as far as I could go in writing melodic, concise songs. I wanted to go back and create textural, moody, expansive music, with lyrics."
Singer Oscar Herrera is with the band again. Herrara was the male voice of the group for 13 years and seven releases. Herrara's daughter Dani also sings
on the LP.
"Running a record company (Projekt) is good to stay away from having 'a real job;' but ultimately, it’s my own music that people care about," he says. "And that’s where I’ve been putting my energy lately. The world is shaped however you are conceiving it; I decided to look at it in a way that encourages the things
I want to exist."
Rosenthal says he plans to keep creating and be more consistant about it.
"I had created my own downward spiral there for a while in the beginning of this decade. 'Free music, bah! Nobody cares, why bother?", he says. "But crowdfunding reconnected me with the people who care, and that motivated me to think about my art in new ways. A positive, and explorative way. And to make albums like this, again."
This Kickstarter will have some "stretch goals" assuming the project funds. One of these is colored vinyl and other additions to make this deluxe release even
more deluxe.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the band. Rosenthal was making music for three years before that.
"For this one, musically I decided to make an album that goes back and touches upon the band’s 90s sound. The ethereal, gothic, heavenly voices sound.
Plus more instrumentals than on the last few releases," says Rosenthal. "I’ve been doing a lot more crowdfunding over the last few years, and this choice is somewhat inspired by what I’m hearing from the people who support my music: the aspect of the band they are really excited about. But it also just feels right to me at this moment. 10 Neurotics was pretty much as far as I could go in writing melodic, concise songs. I wanted to go back and create textural, moody, expansive music, with lyrics."
Singer Oscar Herrera is with the band again. Herrara was the male voice of the group for 13 years and seven releases. Herrara's daughter Dani also sings
on the LP.
"Running a record company (Projekt) is good to stay away from having 'a real job;' but ultimately, it’s my own music that people care about," he says. "And that’s where I’ve been putting my energy lately. The world is shaped however you are conceiving it; I decided to look at it in a way that encourages the things
I want to exist."
Rosenthal says he plans to keep creating and be more consistant about it.
"I had created my own downward spiral there for a while in the beginning of this decade. 'Free music, bah! Nobody cares, why bother?", he says. "But crowdfunding reconnected me with the people who care, and that motivated me to think about my art in new ways. A positive, and explorative way. And to make albums like this, again."
This Kickstarter will have some "stretch goals" assuming the project funds. One of these is colored vinyl and other additions to make this deluxe release even
more deluxe.
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