It's lame for her to do this. Do you think she's going to charge less for her shows since members of the band are playing for free? Of course not, she's going to frantically stampede toward any and every dollar she can. So the ticket-buying fans are getting a discount amateur product but paying full rate.
She raised more than a million dollars from her fans, so she has the ability to pay musicians. Does she seriously require $1.2 million to make a record? What she's doing, and then trying to be all cutesy about it, sucks. I love the Albini line that this move demonstrates that Amanda Palmer is proving she's more stupid than every dumb-fucking band like Creed, Limp Bizkit, GG Allin, etc. who never needed to beg their fans for free money and services.
And really, she can say all she wants that she's just allowing her fans to play but that's similar to Vince Neil saying, hey I was just giving all those bitches a chance to fuck a rock star, and that doesn't make him any less of a pig.
I am guessing you have never seen amanda palmer/dresden dolls/evelyn evelyn live or even listen to their music. The lame bands that you mention don't get money from their fans becuase they were on major labels who handled their promotion, videos, tour, album production, distribution etc etc. Amanda quit her label when they told her she needed to lose weight. Even though she is quite skinny.
She didn't get 1.2 million. People bought mechandise or if they donated a dollar they got the album on mp3s. The backlash is there because people can't stand she is doing this without the music industry. No pitchfork stellar reviews. No record label promotion. No hipsters worshipping her on the web.
Of course the musicians that are playing with her are of amateur level ability. that is part of the charm. They are going up on stage and having a good time. Amanda meets with her fans after shows. She encouraged the crowd to come and perform when she was in the Dresden Dolls. She has put out 4 classic albums which have been ignored by everyone except her fans. I am sure if radiohead offered their fans a chance to sing with them on stage you would be rushing to sign up
She pays here band year round. Even when they aren't performing. These are amateur fans who are coming up and having a good time. The point is not about how great they sound it is about eveyone haveing a great time.
Anyway she is paying her volunteers even the ones that performed already. I wonder if you have a problem with festivals that millions of dollars like Lollapalooza or Bonnaroo paying having volunteers or the baseball teams paying their players millions of dollars and playing people who worked there close to minimum wage? As opposed to people that are doing things because they want to. Not one volunteer has complained about not being paid. No one has not shown up.
The thing is ridiculous. And I am sure if here kickstarter had only raised 2000 dollars and she couldn't produce her album no one would worry about her at all.. It is just because she is actually donig something amazing and she doesn't need the old non working music system and is coming out and saying all music should be free the record industry is finding ways to try and discredit her.
ANd who is steve albini?
