A rant on Radiohead

To read this in its true home, go to the Finders Records blog.

As you know, Radiohead has “released” their much anticipated new record, In Rainbows. I’ve been wildly texting my music aficionados all week and, other than me, most of them are pondering (whatever the hell that means) whether or not to buy the record.

Here’s the deal: You have two options for getting your hands on the loveliness that is this new release.

First, you can pay £40 (approximately $82) for the discbox, which contains the album on CD, two 12-inch, heavyweight vinyl records, an enhanced CD with bonus tracks, digital photographs, artwork, and lyric booklets, encased in a hardback book and slipcase. While I would love to own this mega-package as much as I would have loved to own Pink Floyd’s original release of Dark Side of the Moon + goodies, I’ve realized, with age and wisdom, that it is only the music that counts. Plain and simple. I know, I know—for you audiophiles out there, owning the whole shebang is important—however, you have to consider the reality that what we all love must about Radiohead is their music.

Or, second, you can choose to pay whatever you want to receive the download immediately. I, for one, simply cannot afford to buy the discbox, nor do I want to wait until December to hear the record for the first time. (I’ll probably find a like-minded fan who will go in on the purchase with me—I’ll gladly just take the vinyl and you can have the rest!). As a longtime fan of the band, I chose to contribute 15£ (that’s roughly $30). I can only hope that those of us who value creativity and musical genius will do the responsible thing and actually pay for the record. Unfortunately, I’m guessing that there will be thousands of people who stiff Radiohead and take the record for mere pennies.

For all the bitching and moaning and overthinking, I’m surprised that so many people are upset about Radiohead’s choice to release in this method. The question I’m hearing is Why didn’t they just release it on an indie label? My response: What’s more indie than a band releasing music directly to their fans and giving them a choice of both product and price?

I’ve listened to In Rainbows dozens of times in the past few days. It is beautifully dark and chillingly truthful. And, although I do so miss the guitars of Creep, I am once again startled and pleased and blown away by the caliber of their work. I’ve had goosebumps. I’ve been teary-eyed. This album made me remember that this generation of music IS one to be proud of—that’s why I CAN’T STAND those lame-o snobs who say Art is dead in this century. I will simply not entertain an argument that debates whether or not worthy art exists in the here and now. It does. If you want to live in the past, then you will remain forever blind to the continued progression of 21st century culture.

I choose to actively participate in the growth of the minds and souls of our generation’s finest artists. I choose to aggressively question my own tastes and motives when a band does something different. I choose to give new mediums the chance they deserve. And, seeing as though I HATE the word indie almost as much as the word emo, I choose to support any band who goes out on a limb to give the world their creation.

What will you do?