The role of physical media is to document
A magazine is a capsule, cassettes (or vinyl) are proof of support
If I could write (or not be afraid to write) I would have written Natasha Stagg’s Berlin Biennale article “Trends and their Discontents” back in 2012 after the Dis Magazine “slimepunk” mix came out (a joke response to a post-ironic trend). At the time it seemed like the nano-trend to end them all for those in the know. But then #normcore somehow crossed over into the public consciousness and micro-fashion — whether a joke, serious or a joke-turned serious—became a scaled, decentralized, unstoppable force. I recommend reading “Trends and their Discontents” to get a better idea of how micro-trends start and gain traction. But some interesting ideas in the article that, for obvious reasons are not written more extensively, are around micro-trends and labor and the role of physical media.
The purpose of physical media
But it is the job of the magazine not only to understand these developments but to represent and report on them in artistic ways. As a periodical, a magazine becomes a capsule of cultural climate.
I feel like I could quit writing after this quote (also from the Biennale’s article) but I believe there is lots to be gleaned when thinking about the how artists, musicians, individuals i.e., media companies i.e., everyone in business, should market themselves.
(This is the part where I apologize to artists and savvy writers on twitter who are thinking, “Oh God, another discussion about content!” #sorrynotsorry ← #sorrynotsorry.)
I get an email from Offscreen Magazine and I wonder why I have the urge to buy it. It’s beautifully made but the idea of holding it and then filing it away seems desirable. It’s also easy to empathize with the founder because he’s so open about his personal labor to make this for us. His story, combined with quality, combined with the desire to add this to my capsule of the current cultural climate all play into my desire to own a physical copy. This same desire is what has driven me to purchase albums in physical form whether it’s vinyl, cassettes, CD-Rs or a USB drive. I hadn’t purchased music for years until Anamanaguchi’s Endless Fantasy came out via Kickstarter. I bought the album to support them. I already liked their music but was moved by their story. The baseline is that the product has to be good but what separates noise from signal is the personal connection through story. I find myself no longer buying albums of artists I can’t relate to on a personal level. If their story is absent, not personally identifiable or not part of an idea I want to move forward I don’t buy their albums, but I will attend their show. My purchasing habits continue to trend toward local musicians or artists participating in communities with which I strongly identify.
I think this is why Drip.fm shut down (only then to be acquired by Kickstarter). Not because the idea is bad but because subscribing to labels is a bad model. I certainly don’t want to buy subscriptions for each label. I’d rather pay Drip.fm a recurring fee to have access to all the labels and musicians and pick which tapes or vinyl + zips I want. Kinda like the mail-order CD scheme from way back in the day.
But back to artists and their content.
The question of how do artists support themselves can be broken up into a couple options:
- Don’t play the content game. Instead do what you want and hope it works out for you. Make your “milestone piece,” (e.g., album, artwork) and sell it through a gallery or on iTunes. (How it “works for you” is largely dependent on how you define your own success.)
- Leverage the media company model by making quality, free content for your supporters but in a way that is personal and engaging. But remembering “that you can’t think about making it great for everyone. You have to make it great for someone. A lot of people, but not every person.”
The second option allows artists to increase engagement, which makes them top of mind, which then makes it easier to make money when they’re ready to sell something. The frequent giving away of content allows artists to charge a premium for physical media and IRL activities like shows, talks, etc.
Micro-trends and labor
This will be short since you’re well into skim mode. Anyway, I’m just pointing out that Natasha Stagg’s concerns over poor labor practices to keep up with fashion demand will soon be outdated once 3D printing brings mass customized fashion into the home.
For more commentary and links on how the status of the artist is changing check out my Are.na channel (or my straightforward list of links) and follow @net_dot_work on twitter.
