Press Release: BHTM To Give Away 500,000 Copies of New CD - posted 12/11/2007
by Trevor at 12:58 pm
Joining a growing list of artists looking to reach music fans in unique ways, BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS are teaming up with radio stations nationwide and mailing nearly half a million copies of their new album ALL THE LOVE YOU NEED directly to listeners. The program started on the group’s website--where 25,000 fans signed up and were sent the CD--and has grown to include several major AAA and Americana stations. KBCO in Denver, the group’s hometown, will mail 75,000 CDs to their subscriber list, and other stations like KGSR (Austin, TX), KPRI (San Diego), KTBG (Kansas City) are doing the same. The album is also now available for free download.
KGSR’s Director of Programming told Radio & Records magazine (11/30/07), “This sort of thing might very well be the future of music distribution. Give away the music, build a bigger fan base [and] generate revenue through live shows, merchandising and other platforms,” while KBCO Programming Director Scott Arbough rhetorically asked, “Who wouldn’t appreciate a free CD in the mail from a band that I am sure most KBCO listeners know well?” The stations will customize the artwork with their call letters and will mail them directly to their listener databases.
Songwriter/guitarist/singer TODD PARK MOHR--who started the group in 1986 with high school friends BRIAN NEVIN on drums and ROB SQUIRES on bass--recently told the Denver Post (11/15/07), “We see the record as our main marketing tool. It’s no longer a source of income--not that it ever has been for me, given the way major labels work.”
The hard-touring blues-rock group, which now features JEREMY LAWTON on keyboards, will kick off a 60-date tour January 10 at House of Blues in New Orleans. ALL THE LOVE YOU NEED is BHTM’s eighth studio album and first since 2004’s Crimes of Passion and features 11 new songs, several of which have been live staples over the last few years. Two songs--“Cruel Fate” and “All The Love”--will simultaneously be issued as singles. The album was produced by David Bianco, who has produced, engineered and/or mixed artists such as Tom Petty, Mick Jagger, John Hiatt and Pete Yorn. The platinum-selling group’s past hits include “Bittersweet,” “Broken Hearted Savior,” “Sister Sweetly,” “Resignation Superman” and a cover of John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom.”
The free distribution of the new CD continues the tradition BIG HEAD TODD AND THE MONSTERS started when they began giving away new songs, demos and live cuts on the
http://www.bigheadtodd.com website three years ago. “Art should be free,” MOHR said at the time. “I’ve always rejoiced at the crumbling of the old empire,” MOHR told the Denver Post. “Digital music diversified the music that is being created, and it also makes a level playing field for artists. Culture is a lot more interesting when there are a lot of little things going on instead of a couple big things happening, and that’s why this is the Wild West—it’s so fun to be listening to music right now.”
The download isn't up yet. The link says it will be available soon.
http://bigheadtodd.com/news/?permalink=2639
