Band Crusade Campaign!

[paulpirie8]

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to let you all know about a new campaign called Band Crusade which is aiming to change the face of the UK music scene by introducing "real" bands back into the charts.

Here's the link to their website:

[url="http://bandcrusade.com/"]http://bandcrusade.com/[/url]

Please go on and have a read through, we're really excited to be a part of it and it's something that's been sorely needed for a while.

Any support would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,

Paul

[rogerstodge]

Ill have a gander at that mate

[xilddx]

I had a gander. It looks like pretentious bollocks to me, with a side order of unsophisticated, pompous self-serving arse.

But good luck with it and all that.

[discreet]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343778537' post='1755260']
...It looks like pretentious bollocks to me, with a side order of unsophisticated, pompous self-serving arse...[/quote]

Say what you think Nige, [i]please[/i]. Don't beat around the bush!

[xilddx]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1343779270' post='1755270']
Say what you think Nige, [i]please[/i]. Don't beat around the bush!
[/quote]

[i]"As with all internet driven campaigns, the power is well and truly in YOUR hands. If you agree with our crusade and message then gather your pitchforks and join us![/i]
[i]In order for this campaign to be successful we are asking for you all to create any viral images, videos or blog posts supporting the crusade. Then [url="http://bandcrusade.com/contact"]let us know[/url] and we will create a gallery on the site for all of the entries plus our personal favourite will win their choice of:[/i]
[i]- iPod touch pre-loaded with all of the Band Crusade tracks[/i]
[i]- A pair of Dr Dre beats headphones[/i]
[i]- FLIP Video Ultra HD III[/i]
[i]We need you to spread the word of band crusade around all of your social media networks and also follow us on [url="http://www.facebook.com/bandcrusade"]facebook[/url], [url="http://www.twitter.com/bandcrusade"]twitter[/url] and [url="http://www.youtube.com/bandcrusade"]youtube[/url].[/i]


[i]Band Crusade is a unique project to try and get real band music back into the UK charts.[/i]

[i]Fed up of being spoonfed acts from glorified karaoke contests such as X-Factor and The Voice we set out on our crusade to find 100 raw, talented and undiscovered UK acts that we feel deserve a shot of being Christmas number one 2012.[/i]

[i]We want to give the UK public a wider choice of alternative music and give YOU the chance to try and change the face of the UK music chart. We feel that the timing for such a crusade couldn’t be better. [/i]

[i]There has been a lot said in the press recently regarding the current state of the music charts and how people are really getting sick of the manufactured pop format. This resistance is being shown in the fact that The Voice UK had to pull its national tour and furthurmore, a few years ago you all raised your pitchforks for the popular Rage Against The Machine campaign.[/i]

[i]What we want to do is reward all the hard working, dedicated and raw talented bands around the country. The UK has been home to some of the greatest bands in the history of music and we want to restore that pride."[/i]

What a load of old c***.

[xilddx]

I just listened to 13 songs from 13 bands from all genres on that website. Aside from a band called Lightfire, none has any commercial potential as far as I can see, and most have very little musical merit other than they can sing and play and write a copy song. Most are just piss poor copies of successful acts. I would rather hear the new Chris Brown album.

[discreet]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343780375' post='1755282']
What a load of old c***.[/quote]

But you could win Dr Dre headphones! [i]Dr Dre!![/i]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343781940' post='1755289']
I would rather hear the new Chris Brown album.[/quote]

Bloody hell, they must be bad.

Edited August 1, 2012 by discreet

[paulpirie8]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343780375' post='1755282']
What a load of old c***.
[/quote]

Haha fair enough. Cheers for checking it out, all the same.

[xilddx]

[quote name='paulpirie8' timestamp='1343808249' post='1755401']
Haha fair enough. Cheers for checking it out, all the same.
[/quote]

Sorry mate, I was probably a bit erm, vibrant, with my thoughts last night Nevertheless, I stand by my feelings about the 'crusade' and I wouldn't be surprised if it's a cynical publicity stunt for a web design or marketing company or summat. Whatever, whoever is behind it doesn't know much about music and audiences, that's for sure.

[BigRedX]

It would be interesting to know how the 100 bands in the running were selected.

[b]paulpirie8[/b], I see that your band is one of them - would you care to enlighten us?

[TimR]

I saw this last night and struggled to see how it was new, different and hadn't been done before.

In the end I said nothing.

There's far too much content on that site to wade through. What happened to MySpace?

[paulpirie8]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1343815154' post='1755526']
It would be interesting to know how the 100 bands in the running were selected.

[b]paulpirie8[/b], I see that your band is one of them - would you care to enlighten us?
[/quote]

As far as I'm aware, it was just the 3 guys organising the campaign who shortlisted the bands down from a few thousand. Whether anyone else had an input I'm not sure.

[xilddx]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1343815376' post='1755533']
I saw this last night and struggled to see how it was new, different and hadn't been done before.

In the end I said nothing.

There's far too much content on that site to wade through. What happened to MySpace?
[/quote]

What will the winning band get?

"The band that claims top spot will be signed up to our record label. We will then record their track, film their music video and release their single into the UK charts. We have our sights firmly set on getting one of these bands to the 2012 Christmas number 1 spot."

[url="http://www.wtamusic.com/"]http://www.wtamusic.com/[/url]

[Marvin]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1343815376' post='1755533']
What happened to MySpace?
[/quote]

It died.


[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343816076' post='1755549']
What will the winning band get?

"The band that claims top spot will be signed up to our record label. We will then record their track, film their music video and release their single into the UK charts. We have our sights firmly set on getting one of these bands to the 2012 Christmas number 1 spot."

[url="http://www.wtamusic.com/"]http://www.wtamusic.com/[/url]



[/quote]

Hmmm. Sounds a bit like X-Factor, just on a much smaller scale.

[Skol303]

There are plenty of sites like this around.

Like it or not, this is [i]probably[/i] the future of commercial music (known as the 'direct to fan' business model)... albeit in its infancy at the moment.

The trouble here is that these sites crave massive amounts of publicity, usually using a 'pyramid selling' type approach based on social media - i.e. relying on participants to plug the site amongst their own friends and followers. This publicity is crucial to the website's success - in fact it's pretty much the only bargaining chip they have with advertisers, the press and so on.

My ear is relatively close to the ground on this sort of thing and I must admit I'd never heard of Band Crusade before (has anybody else?). So I'd question whether their goal of gaining of Christmas number one is really achievable.

If this sort of thing works for you, then great. I'm sure there are some perks to be gained from it.

Personally, I think it's only a matter of time before one of the big players (i.e. a major label) sets up something similar and steals the market on this format. Because like I said, this is the direction in which the industry is heading... it's just taking time for the super-tankers of the scene to change course.

[b]PS: quick edit to include a couple of examples of 'direct to fan' websites...[/b]

[url="http://www.nimbit.com/"]http://www.nimbit.com/[/url]

[url="http://headliner.fm/"]http://headliner.fm/[/url]

Edited August 1, 2012 by Skol303

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1343809861' post='1755430']
wouldn't be surprised if it's a cynical publicity stunt for a web design or marketing company or summat. Whatever, whoever is behind it doesn't know much about music and audiences, that's for sure.
[/quote]

this

seems we have a whole new generation of nathan barleys strutting the golden streets of [s]Soho[/s] Hoxton etc

(no the streets of Soho and Hoxton aren't [i]actually[/i] gold, that's just how the myopic nathan barleys see them through their yellow tinted black framed glasses)

Edited August 1, 2012 by steve-bbb

[xilddx]

[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1343816401' post='1755555']
Hmmm. Sounds a bit like X-Factor, just on a much smaller scale.
[/quote]

They won't like that!


"FAQs: What if I don’t like Band Crusade and your idea?


If you don’t like or agree with what we’re doing, we’d like to thank you for visiting our website. Here are a couple of links you may find useful:
[url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00k96j4"]Click here to visit The Voice UK official website[/url]
[url="http://xfactor.itv.com/"]Click here to visit the X Factor official website[/url]

If for any reason you feel the need to contact us, here are the appropriate emails:
General enquiries and information – [email protected]
Band support – [email protected]
Website issues – [email protected]
Press and media – [email protected]
Sponsorship and advertising – [email protected]
Our mailing address is:
WE CRUSADE LTD
145-157 St John Street, London, England, EC1V 4PW
Company No. 08117750"

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1343816448' post='1755557']
The trouble here is that these sites crave massive amounts of publicity, usually using a 'pyramid selling' type approach based on social media - i.e. relying on participants to plug the site amongst their own friends and followers. This publicity is crucial to the website's success - in fact it's pretty much the only bargaining chip they have with advertisers, the press and so on.[/quote]

I'd reckon they're working on the RATM viral campaign precedent to get them to Xmas No 1. I haven't checked the link so I'm going off what's said here. As a one-off it's a possibility if all of the bands involved, their aunties, grannies & pets all ganged up & supported the winner. But none of those involved will have the business savvy Cowell has, or the back-up to tackle Syco's.
It also involves people who can play something, whereas as we've all seen any tone-deaf freak is encouraged into the doors of Cowell's various "auditions" so it has the support of the masses with stardust in their eyes, something any average band will never achieve.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='paulpirie8' timestamp='1343815983' post='1755547']
As far as I'm aware, it was just the 3 guys organising the campaign who shortlisted the bands down from a few thousand. Whether anyone else had an input I'm not sure.
[/quote]

So how did you get involved? How did you become one of the initial few thousand? Personal invitation? Was there an earlier campaign to find bands?

[neepheid]

Once one buys into the whole "let's get Christmas Number One" thing, isn't one just becoming part of the problem - i.e. making "music" to be heavily marketed to sell more in order to prove some kind of superior bollock circumference (or ovary capacity?) instead of for its own sake?

I'm just happy to play and am happy that the five people and a dog that showed up had a good time and danced about like idiots. Are my sights set far too low? I sometimes feel like a dick for merely mentioning that I'm in a band.

[RhysP]

So, they want to pick the acts, produce & market the acts & release the product on their own label?
Sounds a lot like what Simon Cowell does to me.

They should also have chosen a slightly less emotive word than "Crusade" for the name of their glorified "battle of the bands" contest IMO.....

[discreet]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1343816453' post='1755558']
...the streets of Soho and Hoxton aren't [i]actually[/i] gold...[/quote]

If you look really closely you'll see that it's Tiki Punchbowl vomit.

[Dave Vader]

which song does the winner get to record?

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1343819495' post='1755618']
which song does the winner get to record?
[/quote]

haha i just lol'd

the one theyre f*ckin well told to!

[paulpirie8]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1343818804' post='1755602']
So how did you get involved? How did you become one of the initial few thousand? Personal invitation? Was there an earlier campaign to find bands?
[/quote]

We heard about it through another band and then we contacted the organisers to be a part of it. We then got an email later on saying that we had been chosen to be in the final 100. They did have an initial campaign to find the bands, yes. It was mostly just via Facebook and Twitter though.

To be honest, I don't think for a second, personally, that it's going to trouble the Xmas number 1 in any way. But I think it's a great idea and if it's going to give free publicity to 100 unsigned bands in the UK then I'm happy to be a part of it and spread the word.