[The Dev]

Again, downloading happens, and I'm not militant against it...you can't be, it's a waste of energy.

but what PISSES me off (more than being against it) is when somebody is cruel enough to post it 2 or three months in advance. That's just a dick maneuver, downloading aside.

But the labels do this big promo deal, that ultimately I pay for, and the setup for an album is 3 months. Point blank. It's just a slap in the face to everybody who puts effort in, me aside, the promo folks, the artists, the websites, the streetteams etc...what kind of gets people interested...MONEY aside, is that 'hype', so to have the cat let out of the bag months in advance is an asshole thing to do, regardless of how you or I see downloading.

So look, it's gonna leak...some countries insist on physical copies if for promo if they're going to stock it, and a leak 10 , 15 days before a release is normal, and in most cases, it helps that hype. (if the record doesn't totally blow) so go man, if you're interested at that point, fire it up. Please buy a shirt.

I just get into the whole setup of it, so it's just cruel when people blow the surprise. No biggie. I'm not going to publish a list of names, 10 or 15 days before, yeah you know...I'd love to hear what you think...thats cool. But if it's months in advance, by the time the record is released, it's yesterdays news, and the big old chunk of money we put out for ads and shit on sites and in rags just kind of seems ridiculous.

So it's not the downloaders I get bummed at, it's someone who pulls a dink move months in advance.

Since I'm totally dense about the music industry, this might be a stupid question; don't artists/record companies sometimes release promos with that voice-over thingie on them? Basically, it lets you hear the song, but ruins it by saying something like, "Hey, douchebag, this is a promo copy... try buying the album!"

This seems like a good compromise to me. People can get a taste, but they need to buy the CD to have an unadulterated copy.

Or did I just imagine that record companies sometimes do this?

Since I'm totally dense about the music industry, this might be a stupid question; don't artists/record companies sometimes release promos with that voice-over thingie on them? Basically, it lets you hear the song, but ruins it by saying something like, "Hey, douchebag, this is a promo copy... try buying the album!"

This seems like a good compromise to me. People can get a taste, but they need to buy the CD to have an unadulterated copy.

Or did I just imagine that record companies sometimes do this?

Yeah, you're right. I've got a couple of "promo only" discs that have an annoying beep REPLACEed about once every minute.

I just get into the whole setup of it, so it's just cruel when people blow the surprise. No biggie. I'm not going to publish a list of names, 10 or 15 days before, yeah you know...I'd love to hear what you think...thats cool. But if it's months in advance, by the time the record is released, it's yesterdays news, and the big old chunk of money we put out for ads and shit on sites and in rags just kind of seems ridiculous.

So it's not the downloaders I get bummed at, it's someone who pulls a dink move months in advance.

that really is a very good way of putting it.
But the internet sadly will never care about anything regardless of what it is.

I doesn't just hurt the artist, it hurts the fans and EVERYONE who is involved with the said album.
eye-opener.

I won't lie, I downloaded Ki in advance, but me and a friend didn't actually listen to it until the day the album came out. He heard Heaven Send in an interview and told me to listen to it once, just like he did. So I used the advance to do so, it made me so satisfied until the record was in my hands.

With the advance, I burned it to a CD instantly after downloading it and listen to THAT CD instead of the real copy, so as not to scratch it
It's come in quite helpful too cause I already scratched it, so I had an exact copy or backup of the real CD too, and I burned that, so when I scratched the advance backup, I had a real backup. I don't mess around with my Dev CDs. I have 6 copies of City, 2 real (original and reissue) and a copy and MP3 backup of each.

Anyway, yeah I'm all about the surprise. Some bands, I could care less for and listen to before (kinda breaking my own rules) but for bands I like and respect, I wait, and I buy the CD. A lot of times actually, I download the advance or just a copy of a CD after release then just go buy the real thing just to own it. I did that with all of Gojira, mostly cause I couldn't find their CDs till Way of all Flesh came out, but I bought that day 1.

I hope this forum doesn't descend into this same goddam discussion every time Dev has an album coming out.

Yes, these days pretty much any album will be online before the street date - if you download it and enjoy it don't be a dick and go buy it, it's fairly simple. That said - it's also a dick move to come to an artists personal fucking forum and ask people to leak it.

I can't wait for the album - will there be a chance to pre-order a signed copy again?

I hope this forum doesn't descend into this same goddam discussion every time Dev has an album coming out.

Yes, these days pretty much any album will be online before the street date - if you download it and enjoy it don't be a dick and go buy it, it's fairly simple. That said - it's also a dick move to come to an artists personal fucking forum and ask people to leak it.

I can't wait for the album - will there be a chance to pre-order a signed copy again?

agreed totally.

I'd love to see another signed copy. Or even just some preorder info.

by the time the record is released, it's yesterdays news, and the big old chunk of money we put out for ads and shit on sites and in rags just kind of seems ridiculous.

This is the kind of reasoning that makes sense.

I think teasers build plenty of hype, so I hope you put one together when you get a chance Perhaps you could build even more hype by filming your promo efforts and sticking them on youtube. I really dug the videos of you tracking, especially nibz (with accompanying crotch cam of course, and like many here, have shown my friends too.)

I would love to post links on my facebook and other music forums I belong to a song off the record or something. Actually, I think the most effective marketing asset you have for the dtp is your internet fanbase, which you have successfully grown over the last year or so. We can use our social networking tools to promote your album for you, as long as we have something tangible and free to promote. Tell us when to help, and we'll do it - and it's all free.

All aboard the Hevy Devy Hype Train!!!

Downloading once it's out is a little different, I guess I just don't like spoiling the surprise, money aside.

Exactly Dev, I totally agree. The wait, its so painful, I want to hear it so bad, and when its finally out its all the more rewarding. Like with Ki, it was near torture having to wait knowing it was done, and then when it did leak the temptation to download it was torture all the more. But like so many christmas mornings, its that totally painful wait that makes the end so sweet. Like now, with Baroness' new record (which is going to be fucking AMAZING), it leaked a few days ago online and i downloaded just for the specific purpose of having to fight the temptation to listen to it. I might be a very sick, depraved individual lol, but I kinda like that torture. When I hear it in October, it'll make it all the better. As Addicted will most surely leak by some dickish individual I refuse to download it (except to torture myself lol) because that wait is oh so sweet. So.... fuck downloading!

[The Dev]

Changing the subject...

Check them shorts! I've seen better legs hangin' out of a nest!

Haha they are some sexy legs Dev. The whole shorts and jacket combo looks very metal.

As far as downloading is concerned, I know it must suck for you to see your work leak but it seems like its part of the furniture now. I download most things early if I have the chance and have been doing so since about 1999. But I buy everything that I like and in the case of yours and other independent music, I've actually bought multiples of a lot of albums. 3 x Terria, 2 x Infinity 2x City etc. Just because I love the music that much... or maybe its to ease my guilt for downloading.

fap fap fap

I can't wait to get ahold of this new album Dev. Gonna be freakin sick. Please please please come to oregon on your 2010 tour

And your new guitar just rapes.

[The Dev]

Hang on to your knickers ladies...

Hang on to your knickers ladies...

Oh...My...God.

HAHAHA OH MAN! That picture is just too freakin epic. Thanks for the laughs Dev.