Regular visitors will be aware that I’m quite a fan of a band called I Like Trains (formerly spelt iLiKETRAiNS). Quite a while ago now, they recorded the follow up to their debut album Elegies To Lessons Learnt. News went very quiet on the I Like Trains front at that point, which is perhaps no surprise given that they were no longer attached to a label, thus needed to work out how they were going to release the new album. Fast forward to earlier this month and the band announced that they were to raise money for the creation of a label ILR, but also the mixing and release of their second album He Who Saw The Deep and an accompanying tour. They are raising the money through the Pledge Music website and a portion of the proceeds from the fundraising for the project go to Friends of the Earth. The band weren’t simply asking for donations though, they were offering exclusive gifts, goodies and rewards to those willing to hand over their money. If the project target wasn’t met within a given timeframe, no money would be taken from anyone. They met their target in not much over 24 hours. Personally I pledged to purchase a signed personalised album and a hand bound and hand illustrated hardback lyrics book; both personalised to my other half. There were a number of offers which were, and are, difficult to turn down – not least a vinyl box set featuring all their releases to date and a b-sides and rarities disc. If I find myself with £100 to spare before pledges are halted, I know what I’m spendind it on…
It strikes me that this might be a very sensible way forward for smaller bands in the modern music industry. There are a number of bands with solid fanbases who might either struggle to be signed in the traditional label model, or not enjoy working within that framework. This kind of website allows bands to allow fans to purchase something which they’ll really appreciate and in the process fund the release of new material.
Since I started composing this post Grammatics not only announced that they were splitting up, but that they were funding the release of their final EP via Pledge Music due in part to the success of the I Like Trains project. For my part I snagged their new EP and also a rarities CD. In addition to the release of the EP they’re going to tour for a final time, I’ll aim to catch them when they’re in Scotland. Pledge Music has enabled this release, something which might not have happened otherwise. It seems like a lot of bands are repaing the benefits of this business model already.