Rhode Island native and Simple Machines alumnus, Alex Kemp underscores a notion we underscore often ourselves: music distribution is best served via a tangible, physical, and personal medium, whether it’s on vinyl or (gasp!) …CD.
“When I first started putting out music, bands were doing a lot of 7” singles. I think we did about 5 of them, and I loved that format—big enough for some artwork, small enough to fit in a back pack, cheap-ish to make and the turn-around was relatively quick: you could have your song on a single in about 6 weeks.
With the new RAT D’HOTEL CD/EP series, we’re trying to get the same emotional quality of handing someone a 7″—that “hey, we just made this, check it out” feeling that’s so awesome. But also, we wanted to continue the spirit of the democratic nature of the 7″: that everyone could afford it and enjoy it. Now that vinyl has started to take on a premium, high end connotation, and not everyone has a record player, it simply doesn’t have quite the same “medium-for-the-people” presence that it used to.
So, that’s the thinking behind the series of hand numbered, hand screened, individually treated CD/EP series. The second one (called ‘Rat Hears Love Through Thin Walls’) is coming out in the next few weeks. I hope I get to hand you one personally, because that’s the way they were meant to be delivered!“
And we have one to deliver to you. Personally. Enter to win a hand numbered, hand screened, individually treated RAT D’HOTEL CD/EP by leaving a comment to this post. The most effusive and well, personal one will find the CD in his or her mailbox. Remember to leave us some contact info (important!) and we’ll choose a winner one week from today, 6/17!
Alex Kemp – On Your Side (Mp3)
Approved for download!
