I think that the question ultimately comes down to whether you like the music or not.  I feel compelled to accept a friend request from a local band.  Even if their music isn't that good.  It certainly doesn't mean that I'm going to spend money, though.  I get a lot of friend requests from bands.  Some I accept, others I don't.  Some bands say that they found me through another band's page.  Sometimes they are just as good or better than the other band.  Most of the time they are horrible, don't have a concept on song structure, or are injuring their own success because they have one, or many, weak links in the band. (bad singer and bad drummer are the most frequent weak links)<br /><br />I take many suggestions from labels like CD Baby and Not Lame Records when I'm looking for new and interesting music.  I've never bought a MP3.  It may be the ideal way for many to buy music.  But, I like a real CD.  I like to be able to take that CD with me wherever I go.  I like the artwork, and love reading the liner notes.  You can really learn a lot about a musician or band through the liner notes!  And yes, I've purchased CDs.  I'd buy even more if I had the money!<br /><br />There is a difference between the internet spamming musicians, and those that are genuinely trying to make a connection.  Serj, you became my friend because we share similar musical interests and loves.  Others become friends for many of the same reasons.  There are certain bands that I read every blog, look at every video, cartoon, etc., that they post.  Those are the most interesting artists.  They want to stay constantly connected to their fans and friends.  And, for that effort the reward is more than just a casual listener.  It is a friend and fan that will follow their art for the rest of my life.<br />
 

..Hello, SERJ, how are you doing?<br />Man, I think we can't wrap everybody in the same package. As usual, there are two sides of the story. The Internet is what us, independent artists, asked for douring all these years. Now it's there and we have to use it. In fact, we have the right to use it. I use it a lot. I've never bought CD from anyone, but I've sold some and, even more important than that, made some good friends. I agree with Howard when he says "There is a difference between the internet spamming musicians, and those that are genuinely trying to make a connection". I receive requests from both of them and accept them all, no matter if it's good or not. I always listen to some of their songs and if it's nice I leave a "thank u for the add and congrats" comment, if it's not nice I leave only the "thank u" message. As I said, we have the right to use the web to broadcast our work, and try to appear to the world. The decision of supporting it or not is inside each one of us. My second album is sold worldwide, some of my songs are played in some radios in Europe and USA, I've had some professional contacts from different sides of the country and the world because of the Internet. This can't be a bad thing, right? The problem is the use some guys give to it. I think this way: if you like it, listen. If you don't, ignore it. That's how I do. Works fine for me so far. The same way I ignore some people, some people ignore me, it's part of the process. I just don't think we have the right to say people shouldn't use this powerful and democratic tool we finally have in our hands after so many years of domination of the big record labels. Are there some bad intentioned users? Of course, there are! Just ignore them, right? The important thing is to act correctly, no matter what others do. As you say: we have to be good! ..<br /><br />Well, that's it. I've said more than enough!....<br />God bless you all.....<br />P.S: I can't stop listening to "Angel of silence"! What the hell have you done there, man!?  ..<br />..
 

There are a lot of snobs out there.  Everyone likes to be heard and be appreciated.  If you don't like what I do just eliminate me from your friends list, that's all. The internet is a great foil to the snoby know-it all record companies. And if I like an artist I tell them and I would buy some MP3s (if I had a credit card).
 

If I subscribe I am interested... the relationship aspect might happen further down the line.  But you are right in some ways... bands need to work on their customer facing skills. Nothing  Ihate mire than a friend request that has no relationship to what I am doing.  Of course if the music is cool I buy it... mostly CD's though. I'm a CD fan, mut I convert to mp3. I've been burned with broken HD's in the past, so the CD is the safe back up option. Plus I like reading the blurb on the booklet... particularly if it says "thanks to Laurie Monk" ..
 

..Boa Serj, isso é um reflexo da situação geral desse mercado, no myspace não poderia deixar de acontecer, já que acontece em todo lugar. Como você mesmo disse, quando a pessoa tem talento, naturalmente vai despertando interesse nas pessoas, não precisa desse tipo de coisa, vale mais gastar o precioso tempo trabalhando na qualidade do seu trabalho, do que investindo em uma falsa popularidade. <br /> <br /> Forte Abraço...
 

I think some of the ppl commenting here misunderstood what you were trying to get across.  No one is doubting that the net is a great way to promote independent music, and no one is trying to restrict anyone's access to that.   What you are saying is that, aside from that wonderful grassroots quality to myspace and other social networking sites, most people (and not only musicians, but comedians, actors, photographers, etc) just don't have any customer service skills, nor any marketing skills.  The last thing I want to hear when I'm getting a friend request is, "hey come check out our tunes' come have a listen and tell us what you think?"       <br />It's not that I don't appreciate new bands/artists, but that's a lousy way to get my interest as a consumer.   <br />Okay, so Sergio is not getting down on all you musicians who PROMOTE on the net, he's stating that it's the METHOD of MARKETING that is so flawed and amateur.   <br /><br />
 

Exactly... and because of the way some people (you're right again... not just musicians) are promoting themselves, in my opinion they are just helping their career to sink even faster. ..<br />....Until a while ago I was accepting everybody as a friend (tons of bands included). Now I don't! And it's really sad because I am a musician as well... and of course I want my music to be heard by everybody but not to the expense of become that annoying musician.....<br />....And I am not the one who is avoiding being approached by musicians. Like I mentioned before: MySpace has the "don't accept bands request" for a reason: some people are here after a genuine friendship and not to collect numbers. ....<br />....Thanks for stopping by! I really dig your comment!....Cheers....S..
 

E aí Serj, beleza cara?

Its an interesting point...

At the beggining when I created my MySpace Page I kinda did that, but I sometimes stopped by the most interactive profiles that commented mine...but since I have no material to show yet I stopped doing that...

Well, Serj you know that I talked to you via e-mail, and I felt sometimes like a pain in your behind...but Im sorry about that I was very obssed by making friends in this musical environment...but I realized I cant force that, it all will come naturaly.

But you know Im great fan of your music, your'e one of my favourites musicians, and you seem to be a really great guy.

well...getting back to the subject...lol...I agree that some bands are really just spamming, and they don't even know how to do it right...and no I never bought anything of any band that came to me with that "hey, check out our songs!" kind of comment...I dont even listen to them, now that I think about it...and not because they spam...

I got to know your music via Internet and you know I have your CD's, and you never spammed me...

I guess thats the proof that the ones who spam do ruin their image a bit/lot (that depends of how they do it and with who they do it)...

I'm like Howard up there...I would never buy a MP3 if I can have the CD...I like to enter my music space that is sacred to me and look at that environment, all those CD's and DVD's I have continuing my dads collection and when I travel I take 3 or 4 of them sometimes even the whole Discography depending on my mood, where I go or with who I go...I've entered CD stores with less stock than I do so...and another thing I love cars too, so, driving my car listening to that CD I love, its a great way to relax, and I dont hate traffic ; ) because of that...and thanks to that me and my father we have a strong relationship, since I was a little kid that I used to lay my head on his lap and listening with a bunch of 30 year old friend os my dads only great music...he introduced me  to great music, now I do that to him..... when he was my age he didnt have spamming bands on the internet, there was no internet and he lived in Goiania 20/25 years ago, and that had nothing, just a little store that inported records and he ran miles and painted Iron Maiden t-shirts and other bands by hands to have money to buy the records, thats loving the music, so I would never buy an MP3...its to damn easy...I like to wait 2 weeks to the mail guy come deliver the package...I feel closer to the music and to the musicians, I like to collect special editions too, CD's for me are the most usefull decorations, they look good everywhere and have the best utilities, just like the guitars...yeah u can say Im addicted to CD's and Guitars...

Answering to your question...

Many musicians are becomming spammers, and the reason is:

The Internet, it's all easier now, to record songs, to make music without knowing anything about an instrument by using loops...so technology made it easier but made the competition even bigger so its like a race, everyband is trying to get there faster than they should so, spamming is a desperate way of trying to reach that certain goal...

.."não corras com muita sede ao pote"

..great advice...

It was great to share my oppinion here...

Thank you.

Icaro





 

I honestly felt really let down by how people on myspace worked. I've always tried to make an effort to actually listen to people's music, then decide whether to add them or not and if I do, I give them a genuine comment on their music. I guess it's somewhat in hope that people would return the favour, since as a struggling musician, you need all the constructive criticism you can get, but that never really happened until recently when I went out of my way to dig deep and find musicians on the same level as me. After almost a year here, I finally received a genuine comment or two on my music and for me that means way way more than having 1000000 "friends" who'll never talk to you.

I think people are very self promoting, and when they do it the way they have been on myspace, it actually makes you dislike them, if not lose faith in the music industry in general. I'm gonna keep doing things the way I do them... hopefully I can see a few more genuine people out there. :)

Good post, Serj!

 

Fala Sergio, em primeiro lugar, gostaria de dizer que sou muito fan de seu trabalho.
Suas músicas tem sensibilidade impar.... incríveis!

Tentei entrar em seu site como vc me instruiu, porém não achei onde comprar seus CDs autografados.

Vc pode me dizer como? Sou de São José dos Campos (CEP 12240-120). Quanto ficaria?

Obs.: Se tiver tempo, ouça minhas músicas. Ficaria orgulhoso....

Um Abraço

Lucas Godoy