Members audioicon Posted August 19, 2006 Members Share Posted August 19, 2006 When I first heard about myspace.com, I was very hesitant to go in there. I finally did and was not impressed with what I saw.To tell you the truth I'm one of those people who believes that putting your music on a place like my space.com "doesn't look bonafide/authentic. For me I always believe using the internet as a way to find a fan base but when you hear little girls getting molested on a certain website and people soliciting prostitutes/a legal pornographic ring it just weakings your spirit. Maybe some people on here have gotten calls from record executives and big producers through myspace and thank god for them but I'll rather get my own website or publish on a more restricted/musical forum. I just eat/sleep/breath/sh--t Macromedia's Dreamweaver and in no time I am able to create and publish my own website even though it's not very sophesticted. But thats just my impression, do you guys on myspace.com get a lot of hits/comments about your music. Audioicon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 19, 2006 Members Share Posted August 19, 2006 Well, as far as whether MySpace "looks bonafide/authentic" that's kind of a moot point, at this point - because everyone is on it now including most world famous acts, labels, venues, radio stations, etc. So, like it or not, it's kind of shooting yourself in the foot at this point not to have a MySpace page, especially seeing as it's free. As far as the site itself goes... I think the concept is great - absolutely genius idea, no doubt about it. The interface and some of the actual functionality of the site, not so much. It's pretty kludgy and awkward, often buggy. Searches don't always work reliably. Keeping track of large friends lists can be tough. It was sort of cobbled together in the midst of huge leaps of growth, and it shows. As for kids getting molested and porn and prostitutes being solicited through MySpace, well guess what - all those things happened before MySpace ever existed, and continue to happen all over the place. To single out MySpace as being somehow special in this regard as compared to anywhere else on the Internet - or off the Internet for that matter - is folly. Yes there are child predators out there and parents have to be careful to protect their children. What's new there? Bottom line, musicians ordinarily want to gain fans and connections. And if you want to be heard by a lot of people you have to be prepared to deal with the "lowest common denominator." There is going to be a rotten element in there somehow, that doesn't mean the whole thing is tainted any more than the whole world is tainted because child molesters exist in it. So anyway... just like the Internet itself, MySpace exists and everyone is using it. You can try to maximize the benefits and minimize the jerks you deal with. And yes it is valuable for gig and label contacts, networking with other bands, and building a fan base. We've gotten quite a few gig offers because of it, etc. So... suck it up. I think something similar could be done better, just from a technical point of view, but it is what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted August 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 19, 2006 Lee Flier you are very right. I'm not blaming myspace all together for the porn but it takes away the authenticity of the websites. I do a lot of promotion but personally. Say I go to a bar and put a sign in the restrooms say free music downloads!I also go to lots of local concerts and when big gigs come to town. The website is great but authenticity is all that matters. Audioicon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members protues9 Posted August 19, 2006 Members Share Posted August 19, 2006 as far as I know, it's crap. there's this issue.. that people will only like you if you're from something, like a label or like mtv.. but you cant get to be something unless you're something and I dont get it.. so what I get on myspace are alot of idiots that say im cool, and then never respond to any bullitens i post, messages or replies I make... or come to shows ect. Myspace, in my opinion, is just a huge bar scene where everyvbody is invited, and they all want to talk big, to look big and all those fancy words are forgotten the next day... of course, there's nice people out there.. but I didnt meet my wife at bar... I don know what that says about myspace.. but im just saying it's easy to type something and click it, and alot harder to back it up in reality.. mostly the reason i no longer club or go to bars.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted August 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 19, 2006 The fact that major labels are using myspace as well as local/raw/unknown talents takes away the focus from the local artist. I will not put my music on myspace, I don't care who goes on there. Besides the point, I am not making a living from music, I'm more into global politics and writing articles on international affairs.But look at it this way, will you be coming to harmony central if the post below yours was from a girl/guy showing off their "you know what?" Like Proteus9 said, myspace is like a crowded bar with everyone talking at the same time. But I'm not going to critize people for using it.When I meet people, they are more impressed when I give them my web address without the slash myspace.com Audioicon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members protues9 Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 it never hurts to have material up in all these places.. but i agree a nicely developed web presence is almost necessary. I cant really brag here, mine looks like an extended my space profile.. but, I keep it artistic.. Its my place to hang on the web. Im not trying to move material.. just have fun.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blue2blue Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 What Lee said... It is a great idea... a great idea they "borrowed" straight from Friendster (which grew so fast its infrastructure couldn't support it adequately). And MySpace is a hideous mess in terms of site programming/performance. But it is EXTREMELY busy -- and its own growth has been extraordinary -- so some performance issues and growing pains are to be expected. (And then there is the issue of their rather loose grip on security issues.) And -- while the dating ads are often somewhat vulgar (they're targeted, so, as a "102 year old male" I may get more than my share of True dating service ads with models pulling their denim skirts down) -- if there've been a few notorious incidents, it should be weighed against their enormous popularity. Any "social" website that is in the top ten is going to get some incidents. (And I have to say that those kids who write in their blogs that they're going to shoot up their junior high are doing us all a favor -- since they seem to get reported by concerned "friends" and cyber-aquaintances, fantasy or cold-blooded plan. I say let the cops and school shrinks sort it out.) Anyhow... it IS an incredible phenomenon, like it or lump it -- and lump it at your own risk, if you're targeting listeners under forty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted August 20, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Why I don't mean to sound pessamestic, myspace will be doomed soon. I put a profile in there and decided to search myself and could not find my profile. I do tons of music promotional research study and you can either believe me or not. But people are more likely to visit/trust the content of a website eg: www.blue2blue.com or www.blue2bluemusic.com then the all the connected links like www.blue2blue/myspace.com. or www.blue2blue/aol.musicspace/freesound.com. When I started creating my website, I use to go into music chat room and post a link and get as much visitors then you'll get on myspace in a year! You could also hire a stripper/anyone with sex appeal to stand on a busy intersection with a sing that tells people about your website. Or just buy free drinks for people who wear a t-shirt saying the name of your website. There are so many ways but I agree myspace is a way for people who don't have access to a personal web page. I think anyone who is serious about their music should get a personal website and then use myspace as a way to promote ther webpage. Audioicon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meriphew Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Whether you feel that it's authentic or not, it's a powerful tool for musicians, and can be very beneficial. I think a legitimate band should still have their own website, but Myspace is definitely 'authentic' IMO (and many other's opinions as well). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Originally posted by audioicon Why I don't mean to sound pessamestic, myspace will be doomed soon. I put a profile in there and decided to search myself and could not find my profile. Like I said, their search engine isn't reliable. And they really need to fix that. I do tons of music promotional research study and you can either believe me or not. But people are more likely to visit/trust the content of a website... "Trust the content" in what way? Whether it's MySpace or a web site, you look at the page, you listen to sound clips, you see the gig listings and maybe read the latest news about the artist. What's to trust or not trust? It's just a web page. I agree that artists should have both their own URL and a MySpace page. But our experience and a lot of people's we know has been exactly the opposite of what you say - people are more likely to repeatedly visit a MySpace site, or seek out your band on MySpace, than via your own URL. Why? Because people are usually already hanging around on MySpace anyway. Whenever we talk to club bookers or other bands or just people at shows, they ask us now "Do you have a MySpace page?" as opposed to "Do you have a web site?" We've seen lots of artists who have their own URL's but maintain their MySpace pages more diligently than their own web sites because they aren't seeing very many hits on their own sites. Now that may change at some point, but right now that appears to be the way it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Magpel Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 It's funny that he Web's latest and greatest networking sensation is so functionally sub par. Nothing seems to work quite right. The admin interface is among the worst I've seen. Collecting friends is like collecting Pokemon cards--all the way down to the head shot and formatted data sheet. Communication is the usual web-enabled postmodern slough of fragmented text, image and sound. One of the interesting structural features is that you can't comment on your own comments page. I think that's pretty stupid, actually, and it certainly makes it hard to take MySpace seriously as a vehicle of communication. It's all self-representation and tribal grouping and sign language. I kind of like it though, but I don' trust it one bit. It's a goldmine, THE goldmine perhaps, of marketing and surveillance data, and Rupert Murdoch owns it. Say no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJDM Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 This all seems a little academic since as Blue pointed out Myspace is #4 in the world. All of the grousing about its functionality and social ramifications is not going to make it any less of a juggernaut. Like it or hate it, it's simply a fact of internet life now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members protues9 Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Like it or hate it, it's simply a fact of internet life now. unlike the other internet tools that are a fact of internet life, this is a different beast. It has a different life cycle. give it another 5 - 10 years and the average kid will be embarrassed to have a myspace profile. People will get bored of it, and advertising will be used to make up the slack, then people will feel it's even more contrived, and then it will be sold off to some porno company or something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DJDM Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Originally posted by protues9 unlike the other internet tools that are a fact of internet life, this is a different beast. It has a different life cycle. give it another 5 - 10 years and the average kid will be embarrassed to have a myspace profile. People will get bored of it, and advertising will be used to make up the slack, then people will feel it's even more contrived, and then it will be sold off to some porno company or something... Possibly. But it's not quite 2011 yet. And besides who knows how these things will go? Myspace hasn't run its course just yet so before you write it off you may want to consider a little historical reference. MP3.com was thorn in the side of many bands for much the same reason that Myspace is ("it's too crowded", "the charts are rigged" etc.) but once it was gone there was a definite hole in the music world. Among other things in it's time it served as the largest database of independent music in the world. It was regularly used by production companies to find tracks for top level project and several artists wound up making a good living because of publicity generated from it or directly from income derived from it. So is Myspace going to be relevant in your 5-10 year model? Maybe not. But maybe it will and the only way to know is to wait and see. If you decide you want to wait quietly on the sidelines slinging barbs that's your business but for many of us we want to go where things are happening. Right now that means Myspace occupies a little of our time and cross promotes our work to new listeners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aliengroover Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Like I've basically said before when this came up on these boards: how can you wish doom and demise on something that is free and obviously working? It's FAR from perfect, but so are radio stations, record deals, probably the Internet as a whole, and tons of other things related to your music. Oh, and there are predators and such all over the World Wide Web, but that doesn't stop anyone from putting up a web page. MySpace is working for quite a few people I know. Call me naive/gullible/whatever, but I just can't see how it can hurt you to have a MySpace page. If only one person views your page and is moved by your music, what can be wrong with that?Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Yeah exactly... sure in 5-10 years MySpace may be history, but what's that got to do with anything? Right now, you can spend a half hour and put up a MySpace page and it doesn't even cost you any money, so I just don't see what the point is of NOT doing that just because in 5 years you think it will be gone. It's not like you're making some big investment in it or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members macle Posted August 20, 2006 Members Share Posted August 20, 2006 Hey all, be a mate of The Mates! The Mates on MySpace! We don't have any porn up (yet), but hope to see you all there anyway (or not if you are completely against the idea, that's cool too, no pressure! ). You can also check out our "authentic" site (no porn there either though ) : The Mates "authentic" site and of course, buy our "authentic" CD (warning: parental advisory-no dirty words per se, but a few little double entendres sprinkled throughout ): The Mates "authentic" CD P.S. I agree, MySpace sucks...just right!! c2006TheMates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members audioicon Posted August 21, 2006 Author Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 Come on now lets not talk elementary, I did not say I was wishing that myspace shuts down.You have to be really kiddin. The people who discover your page on myspace may have gotten there by accident or they actually knew you and wanted to look your band up. I feel more professional having my own website then telling someone /myspace.com But you can still have a myspace page that links up to your very own website. I don't care if people wants to stay up there. But I'll tell you, it's very important to have a good platform for your music as it's good to have great music. It all depends who you are trying to attract. The articles on my website are not just for anybody, they are for people interested in whats going on in the rest of the world. Most of the pictures on myspace tells you what the people on there are interested in. I would finally say myspace would have been much more better if they were charging people to get on there, that would filter the junk. Audioicon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members protues9 Posted August 21, 2006 Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 did I hit a nerve or just rock the boat or something? look, I'll be honest about two things... I'm not that social. Im an awesome guy to go to a bar with, but I find most social circles way too competitive. Myspace totally included. I dont sell my music or make a living from it. I give it away on my website, I still sell schwag.. mostly because there are people out there that will buy that stuff.. and it supports the website, give me gas at shows ect.. If you earn your living with your music.. sure i understand, you need all the tools you can get. I dont have an issue with that. So please don't get upset with me if I find something you use to make money annoying and loathesome. Thats only my opinion.. I'll be honest about three things I suppose.. Im bitter about how there used to be a relationship between the fan and the artist. And theres not now. case in point. I play little pubs around here or clubs that will have me. I usually play to about the same 15-20 people. My people, I should say, and then the otheres that are there anyway or seeing another band in the lineup. Yet, when I go to local clubs (where they play my music) someone will end up knowing I wrote the song were listening to, and it'll be all talk about how great it is, I should do more shows ect.. Well, it's all bull{censored}.. Ill never see em... All these home studio guys that want to remix my songs, I say "here's my card" does the phone ever ring? no... ect ect. Maybe it's my genre.. I dont know.. but I can't help but feel all this instant access has affected out brains.. Suddenly, what a few people were privy to, every idiot with an internet connection has to beat to hell trying to wring every drop of "look at me" from it. these days, I mostly use the internet as a tool for information. I have about 2-3 forums im on and that's it. I keep most of my stuff to the real world these days, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aliengroover Posted August 21, 2006 Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 I must be missing something, 'cause I don't remember any of the "pro" MySpace viewpoints really saying anything about making money with it. As far as the fan/artist relationship, I must disagree and say that in many ways, a good bit more than a traditional web site, MySpace strengthens the potential for building those relationships. I've become "fans" of acts that I would have probably never found or heard of without MySpace, and have discovered some really cool music. I've purchased CDs of those artists and keep an eye out for any shows they do in my area. Again, though I may be "nobody", they'd have one less fan if not for MySpace. I don't think the search engine is horrible, also. I've had little to no trouble finding music acts, especially local ones. I DO think that the site has an incredible time trying to handle the traffic, and that shows with the constant errors. But overall, compared to IUMA (which I dug), MP3.com, BroadJam, Soundclick, GarageBand, and all the others I've checked out, MySpace has delivered the goods as far as introducing me to new music and connecting me with others of like minds and tastes.Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Counterpoint Posted August 21, 2006 Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 Originally posted by Lee Flier Well, as far as whether MySpace "looks bonafide/authentic" that's kind of a moot point, at this point - because everyone is on it now including most world famous acts, labels, venues, radio stations, etc. So, like it or not, it's kind of shooting yourself in the foot at this point not to have a MySpace page, especially seeing as it's free. "Everyone" drinks fizzy soft drinks, watches "reality TV," and eats fast food. But I choose not to do any of the above, and I'm very happy about those decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted August 21, 2006 Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 Originally posted by Counterpoint "Everyone" drinks fizzy soft drinks, watches "reality TV," and eats fast food. But I choose not to do any of the above, and I'm very happy about those decisions. Me too, but those are personal decisions where it doesn't matter what "everyone else is doing." Whereas if you're trying to promote your music and be heard by lots of people, then you do have to consider going to places where there are lots of people who might hear you. And MySpace is about as easy and innocuous as you can get, in that regard. It's not like they charge you to join. It's not like they ask for a percentage of your music sales, like a record label would. It's not like you can't still have your own web site and do whatever else you want. There are lots of legitimate professionals you respect who have MySpace pages and you might make some good contacts that way. So unlike fast food and reality TV, it's not going to hurt you and might help you... so I just don't get all the attitude about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members macle Posted August 21, 2006 Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 Originally posted by Counterpoint "Everyone" drinks fizzy soft drinks, watches "reality TV," and eats fast food. But I choose not to do any of the above, and I'm very happy about those decisions. Woah, I do all those things and I'm on MySpace . Here I thought I was sort of a crazy loner musician freak loser, turns out I'm a typical trendy everyman!! Yay!!! It feels good to be (semi) normal for a change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Sayers Posted August 21, 2006 Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 I think myspace is a great idea - I can't believe that they can make a profit just from the ads I don't notice, considering the huge data costs - but, they do - and good on them. If you've got product, post it, it can't hurt. BUT - if you really are serious about your music understand one thing - promotion is an artform just like music and if you ain't got those kind of chops, find someone who has and do a deal. In my experience record promoters, be they majors or minors, don't sign artists, they sign managers of artists because managers of artists are promoters, just like them, and they talk the same talk and make their own kind of music. cheersjohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cry Logic Posted August 21, 2006 Members Share Posted August 21, 2006 Do you guys all think Myspace is actually cool? Regardless of whether "everyone" has a page on it.... or not .... Do you really think it looks good? How would you rate it aestheticallycompared to other sites? And do you really like the way music plays automatically on every page whether you want it to or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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