Al Jardine & A Postcard From California (Still Looking For A Label)

[jeremylr]

Hi all,

I found the below post on Glen Campbell's official messageboard.  I wish Al would just go ahead & release it.  Rhino might be the best label to handle him if he still wants to go that route.  I think it would be interesting to hear him today, especially considering that he hasn't released a studio record since The Beach Boys put out "Stars & Stripes" in 1996.  When you look at the list of guest singers/musicians, it's impressive; I only hope they compliment him instead of overshadowing him. 

Anyway, at least it causes the general public & fans of those artists to be more interested in buying.  Lastly, if they'd release it on Amazon or iTunes as a download, you know they'd make some money.  About a month ago actor/comedian Steve Martin released his debut cd (serious album that's bluegrass) exclusively to Amazon, physically & digitally.  Perhaps that might be an option.  Amazon even emailed all their customers with a free mp3 from Steve's album, thus getting a lot of publicity for it.

Jeremy





SEE BELOW FOR GLEN CAMPBELL MESSAGEBOARD POST ABOUT Al


Here's some news about Al Jardine's new album (which has Glen singing on the title track "Postcard from California") from Arlw:

I have been in touch with “Paula Springer” who is Al Jardine’s Secretary. They were supposed to have released that new CD “A POSTCARD FROM CALIFORNIA”, about the same time the “MEET GLEN CAMPBELL” came out as Glen Campbell is on there with others. But, they had a problem with the “Label”—Al wasn’t sure who to go with and is still thinking about it so it is still going to be released but they do not have a release date yet. I emailed Paula with Glen’s new CD and the latest one as well and they thanked me and were extremely happy for Glen!

http://64.224.220.97/discus/messages/2/8289.html?1235678103

[the captain]

As for Al (and as I've been saying since first word of this damn album, about forty-nine years ago or so now), he needs to just do it himself or on a smaller, indie-type or even online only distribution deal. Nobody (relatively speaking) cares, Al. The same audience would buy this album whether it's on Shrimper, Polyvinyl, Rhino or Warner. And on another topic, whoever writes Glen Campbell's message board posts needs to take an English class. Is Paula Springer a pseudonym? Is the label not actually a label? Is its name Label?

[GoofyJeff]

I don't see why Al (and Mike for that matter) release their albums on their websites, and if a label is interested the re-release it with bonus tracks.  It's a proven formula that worked with "Live at the Roxy" for Brian.  C'mon guys, follow your former leader again.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I don't see why Al (and Mike for that matter) release their albums on their websites, and if a label is interested the re-release it with bonus tracks.

Good point, Goofy, especially concerning Mike. How long has his latest solo album been ready for release? Is it close to five years now? I'm not a musician, but if I put my heart and soul, not to mention time and money, into an album, I'd want it to be heard. Regardless of the label, probably the same amount of people would hear it/buy it....

[Dr. Tim]

Indeed, Goofy and Sheriff, self-releasing is the new paradigm.  They should stop goofing around and just do it, already.  Indie bands have no choice but it's not just them.  You can be big like Radiohead and NIN, or mid-sized like David Byrne, whose model may be the best: live-stream the record, let people audition it.  Then allow MP3 (and for the tweaky fans, FLAC) downloads for a fee though Paypal or the like.  One price for each track, and then a batch price for the whole album, like Amazon does.  Embed the artwork as a JPEG the buyers can print on their own.  Get the word out at shows, online adverts and newsdrops, and through boards like this one.  Then you harvest the email addresses and there's your mailing list for more shows and other stuff.  If you want to make up hard copies too, great, but if the darn things are done they're doing no one any good sitting on tape reels, DATs or flash drives on a shelf.

[shelter]

I've released some of my own CDs myself. If I remembed correctly, if you press 1,000 CDs you have to sell just something like 300 of them to break even on pressing and printing costs. So self-releasing an album is really not that risky when the recordings have already been made anyway and you've got a small but loyal fan base.