Had to read this twice to check there wasn't some hidden catch, but there doesn't appear to be. This isn't a preview or sampler, but the entire thing:

http://www.xfmmanchester.co.uk//Article.asp?id=602757

I haven't actually listened to it yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so. Interesting also as a sign the way the industry is going these days; it seems like there really are no rules any more about how to release your records. I wonder if this is the way KS might handle future releases. And whether it would be a good or a bad thing if they did...

Interesting from a quick scan through - and it took less than two minutes to download the zip. Have always quite like the Charlatans, though I prefer Martin Blunt's earlier band, Makin' Time - probably the best of the (2nd) mod revival bands.

For an album, it's pretty short at 36mins, but then it's free...

Be sure to go to one of their UK gigs coz you won't regret it and that is a promise. Went to see them 2 weeks ago and I have the feeling that that concert will be in my top 10 list of best gigs of 2008 at the end of this year...

Having said this, thanks a lot for that link, drykid. You rule.

quote:

Originally posted by drykid:
I haven't actually listened to it yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so.

thanks a lot for this! you should give it a listen, it's actually pretty good! haven't listen to any charlatans record for years, but i'm enjoying this a lot!
To be honest i dunno if this should really be the future of music, letting the musicians do all the work FOR FREE. i dont really know what their intention is, but it only would make sense if there is something like a very special edition with loads of extras of every album that you can buy (like NIN did, see the other thread). This is clearly the direction the music industry is chosing to take since record sales aren't as good as they used to be but i wonder if a band like KS can only survive with playing live (at least in clubs like they do at the moment).

Thing is, it is so very easy to get any new album for free on mp3 anyway and there are no reprecussions.

The industry wants us to buy into this myth that this hurts sales. But there are other compelling voices suggesting the story is not so simple. And kudos to Radiohead, The Charlatans for being willing to question received information.

quote:

Originally posted by raagy girl:
thanks a lot for this! you should give it a listen, it's actually pretty good! haven't listen to any charlatans record for years, but i'm enjoying this a lot!

I listened to a couple of tracks to begin with, and I liked them, but I haven't gone back to it. And I think that's part of the problem with releasing things this way - although a free download will reach more people, it kind of devalues it. If I'd gone out and paid £10 for this on CD then I'm pretty sure I'd have listened to it all the way through by now, if only to justify the money spent. But as a free download it's just something that ended up getting ignored in favour of a bunch of other things to watch / listen to instead. So I guess I'm saying that cheaper isn't always a good thing when it comes to subjective concepts like perception of importance.

quote:

Originally posted by drykid:
I'm saying that cheaper isn't always a good thing when it comes to subjective concepts like perception of importance.

Maybe not, but was what the Charlatans did effectively offering you the album cheaper than you could have obtained it? As a sophisticated computer user drykid (and, to be honest, this wouldn't apply to 'sophisticated users' only, more anyone who isn't a total technophone) you well know that even without the use of filesharing networks you could have obtained the entire album for free in good quality mp3 whether the Charlatans had done this or not.

As a consequence of their move they have had a ton of free promo and no doubt sold a fair few more concert tickets. There may be some impact on album sales but I'm definitely in the 'still undecided as to the extent of impact this has' front. And if anyone is really peeved about it being available for free in mp3, they could always just hold out and buy the CD.

quote:

Originally posted by 2-J:
Maybe not, but was what the Charlatans did effectively offering you the album cheaper than you could have obtained it? As a sophisticated computer user drykid (and, to be honest, this wouldn't apply to 'sophisticated users' only, more anyone who isn't a total technophone) you well know that even without the use of filesharing networks you could have obtained the entire album for free in good quality mp3 whether the Charlatans had done this or not.

Pfft well I don't consider myself that sophisticated. Personally I wouldn't have downloaded the album if it hadn't been a legal download, just cos I don't like doing that. It's important to me to draw a line somewhere between right and wrong, otherwise I'd just be another freeloader who's only interested in things that they can get for nothing... But I guess whether or not the Charlatans album reaches a wider audience this way depends on whether or not people who fit into the same category as me represent a significant group or not. And I don't really have any feel for whether they do or don't.

I had almost anticipated that might be your response whether your moral rectitude (if that it be - an interesting debate but not necessarily one worth having here) is to be commended or not, I think in this day and age it places you in the minority. Thus my argument still has some application.

More significant is probably that tranche of the population who wouldn't be able to (through technophobia or simply lack of being bothered) access illegal mp3 rips of albums but who are able to download things from, say, the XFM site. This may be a larger propotion of people than many might imagine.

Also there's the novelty factor which ensures news coverage, though with NIN, Radiohead, Prince and now the Charlatans having gone down this road in some way or other, the law of diminishing returns on this front may be about to kick in.

I dont think there is anything wrong with downloading music for free via any method. I dont like the idea that money seperates individuals pleasure access. Its a sad situation that money grants access and if I were making music I would want as many people to hear it regardless of money spent by the listeners. I would be quite happy with existing from the income of those who wanted to spend money on my contributions.

Its like the busker in the street, we all hear him but we only throw in a quid if we want to or can afford to. He does want money for his art! Should we walk past with our fingers in our ears? Or would that only apply to the ones we walk past that have corporate backing? Absurd suggestion no?

So people should not get hung up on illegal downloads.

I buy cds but only at the right price. Cds are generally way over priced.

Actually we do pay for our data access dont we?

If producers have a problem with the data we download then they should take it up with the service providers!

They DO have the ability to stop it.

However many of their customers use the internet because of the free stuff.

It really isnt worth a struggle with your conscience.

in my experience the vast majority of buskers aren't art, they are merely a nuisance.

quote:

Originally posted by adam:
in my experience the vast majority of buskers aren't art, they are merely a nuisance.

We've got some poor poor poor buskers in Cardiff. Aside from Toy Mic Trev (Who is a legend and was on Radio 1!!!) we've got the awful guitar bloke who sings Oasis songs really badly, the man with the iPod who stands by post boxes singing along (badly) to The Beatles and, of course, we have Ninjah

I think the music industry was too slow and didn’t see how things were going. There’s talk of them now wanting a slice of hardware sales, which would ultimately push up the price of computers. It may also mean that they are more reluctant to take a chance on anything that isn’t a sure bet.

Here is a sure bet:

As long as there is access to the net there will be illegal downloading criminals!

Hey didnt I make that sound bad?

Oooh what an unruly lot lol

I've just caught a glimpse of Tim Burgess' new haircut while watching Later with Jools Holland I thought for a second the Charlatans had been replaced by Inspiral Carpets at the last minute...