Who’d imagine only a few years ago the paradigm shifts we’re currently witnessing within music industry? Vinyl’s flourishing, CDs have flatlined, and while we can rattle off any number of fantastic record labels, they’re hardly one size fits all (if the majors ever were.)
Canadian singer/songwriter, Amanda Zelina, aka The Coppertone has felt these seismic shifts far too personally. Signed to a label which limited her creative mettle, she departed its confines, head held high—and $20,000 in debt.
In an effort to retain her artistic integrity and to repay the label’s investment, she’s launched an Indiegogo crowd funding campaign entitled Help Free The Coppertone: Claim Yourself which we’re happy to put on your collective radar. We’re kinda big on integrity.
“I love vinyl—there is no doubt about that. As a musician I get no greater pleasure than that first needle drop of a new release on some freshly pressed wax. The tangibility of it, the weight, the smell, the look, the feel, the sound… Oh my god, the sound. Vinyl is to me what a painting on a canvas is to painter. Vinyl is the difference between a digital image on a computer screen and the three-dimensional, textured, breathing piece of art hanging on a wall in front of me.
It’s the soul behind the tactility of its function that inclines me towards it. It is the imperfections of the snaps and crackles dependent on each pressing and each record player and each worn down or new needle that hits it. That to me makes vinyl perfect; imperfectly perfect. It is human. It can warp over time or under different conditions, it changes, it has nuances, characteristics unique to the individual pressing.
Vinyl has integrity and integrity is important.
The first time I heard “Hidden Dreams” on vinyl (the first record I pressed and released independently of my own music on wax) I had a very spiritual experience. The producer of “Hidden Dreams” who I had spent the past 4 years with, who became one of my best friends, my mentor, my right hand man, passed away tragically and very suddenly right before the album went to mastering.
His name is Dan Achen. He was passionate about music. He and I shared that fire for art together. When I approached him about dusting off his old two-inch tape machine to record my new album under a moniker “The Coppertone,” he didn’t have to blink before agreeing. Our purpose was to simply make an incredible record that was honest, soaked in soul, and would press only to vinyl. This was our creative baby! Our masterpiece.
The day I received the shipment to my house came with mixed emotions. He was not here physically to experience that first listen with me. And yet, when I placed the needle down on our record the hair on the back of my neck and arms stood up as tears fell down. As each booming note soared through the air. He was right there with me. No ifs, ands, or buts. I will never forget that. Bittersweet.
That experience set the precedent for all of my future recordings. I would always press to vinyl, and if I were able, only press to vinyl (with digital download.)
That is why today I am coming to the close of an extremely passionate crowd funding campaign entitled—Help Free The Coppertone: Claim Yourself—I launched the campaign in order to have the freedom to continue to release my music to the world.
After Dan departed I was lost, without my mentor, with over 11 years of experience working towards my craft and my career as a full-time musician. I was undoubtedly naive to business with not a whole lot of objective council surrounding me. I got offered a standard recording contract with a local label. In my hope to move ahead in my career, I signed. We all make mistakes and this, a few years later would be mine. I am the first to admit I made a mistake. I learnt that just because something is “standard,” does not mean it is good or even fair.
In my industry this is an unfortunate, not uncommon practice and definitely not the first time an artist signed a contract that was not balanced or even in their favor. So, integrity in hand I chose to leave. I decided to be accountable for my actions. In turn, in order to “buy out” my contract, I owe the company twenty thousand dollars. This is the money they invested in me over the two-year time period I was with them.
It’s too bad that everything I invested in them doesn’t contractually change a thing as far as who owes who what. I hope that by doing this publicly, I can walk away knowing I did my part. I told my truth and hopefully other artists out there will have an example of someone who didn’t settle. I think it is important for us to claim ourselves—know our worth and fight for it. Without that we are robbing ourselves of our integrity and our potential.
Help me have the ability to release my music (on vinyl) to the world once again! I have carefully created “perks” for all pledges—including a bonus draw at the campaign close for everyone who pledged to have a chance to win their very own custom acoustic guitar, built to their specs by an extremely talented luthier, Emmet McCusker. Just another way I can show my gratitude and honor those who support me and the cause.”
—Amanda Zelina, The Coppertone
The Coppertone Indiegogo Campaign
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