First post here. Excited this week with the new Shpongle album release. I have ordered a copy a couple of days ago, and so now the wait begins for it to be delivere (to Australia). Even though i technically ‘own’ the record and could download it now, I am going to wait for the CD, so I can make a bit of a ritual of the experience. Throw a dozen cushions on the floor, roll up a fat one, lay pack and press play !

The comments here (including Simon’s) have made me think about the issue of piracy a lot these days. Shit, I’m no saint, i have downloaded shitloads of music, mostly classic discographies such as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin etc). It could be argued that these artists are either dead or disbanded, have made millions each in personal wealth, have a limited market to the target demographic of music buyers (ie youth). Well that’s my half-arsed justification.

I would even justify illegal downloading on the basis of ‘try before you buy’. For example, i like a limited number of ‘psy’ tagged bands, but I would say that over 90% of what i hear isn’t to my taste at all. To buy a CD every time I ‘have a hunch’ on a band, psy or otherwise, become a costly, actually a limiting experience.

So, it may be hypocritical for me to comment, but I beleive that persons who illegally download music from current independant artists whose material they are alredy a fan of, well that simply sucks, and is disrespectful to the process these people go through to make great music for you to enjoy.

The best Shpongle can hope for in this fickle climate of crap, emotionless, talentless music is perhaps a hundred thousand sales generated by existing fans, and some new followers along the way. I doubt they sit back at the studio and daydream of U2 mega-sales.

So any PRE-EXISTING FANS of Shpongle reading this, please, please consider your actions if you are one of these people who isn’t planning to pony up for the experience. Don’t know about other parts of the world, but if I were to order this CD from a store, they would charge me something like $35.00 (thats what I paid for ‘Nothing Lasts’). Most other CD these days are $25-30 retail.

BUT….. Twisted Records charged me the princley sum of $17, and that included postage from the UK. That’s about the price of a shitty pizza. Half price, and probably more money going to the artists by buying direct? Not a big sacrifice if you ask me.

Hallucinogen - 19 October 2009 06:25 PM

So some fucker has released the album on the internet already…. thanks a lot, whoever it was… Maybe twisted will still recoup, maybe not… all i know is that we are teetering on bankruptcy, and are seeking deals elsewhere…. the 12 loyal fans on this forum are not enough to sustain a record label…. How much do you think Twisted has in the bank account? Have a guess? More than $10,000 ? More than $20,000 ?  Well it is actually less than $1,000….. Raj and i haven’t even been paid our advance for this album…. All the artists on twisted are seeking deals with other labels now… We can’t pay a label manager, and we can’t pay the artists…. always putting our hope in ‘just ONE more release’.... “We’ll be ok if the DVD sells”....“Surely the Shpongle CD will sell, right?”

digitalex - 19 October 2009 09:34 AM

Twisted should take a cue from Ott. From his website, ottsonic.com:

If you have downloaded any of my music from filesharing networks, or made copies from friends, and feel you would like to donate something directly to me, you can do so by clicking the “Donate” button below.

There is no minimum or maximum amount so feel free to send me what you think my work deserves.

Thanks digital alex, but Twisted DO offer a way to donate… and you know what? you’ll even get a CD sent thu the post, with artwork by storm thorgerson, and text that we spent time writing, and generally pouring our heart and souls into….!!!

XaNe - 19 October 2009 03:25 AM

I’m disappointed, digital distortion. The loudness war is in our Shpongle tracks. :’(

This to me is very disappointing.

But i still have some hope for the final CD release.
I am hoping that this album has no digital distortion.

You should be ashamed of yourself! You haven’t even got the CD, and you are complaining about some computer readout from something you downloaded??? Until you have listened to the CD that we made, and used your ears…. then tell me you think that Kevin Metcalfe, our mastering engineer, who has over 30 years of experience (http://www.soundmasters.co.uk/ClientPage.htm) is a numpty, and has done a bad job…. go on, i dare you!

And to everyone else, please don’t bother reviewing tracks that you have downloaded… it’s not fair… we all know the huge disparity in quality between stuff that gets posted on the net….

This sucks, for Twisted, for myself and Raj who have spent 3 years working on the album….

Just as i started looking around and posting on this forum again, i remembered why i shouldn’t bother….

I’m outta here… Soon to be followed by Younger Brother and probably Twisted…

Enjoy.

It’s just like that one great movie you just HAVE to see at the big screen. Sure you could DL it but it would ruin the experience. I am a firm believer in supporting amazing artists such as yourself.

I dont see why you dont have your music in movies by now. So sick of the standard BS soundtracks I hear in movies coming out these days.

BTW is that the Wipeout font I detect on the Twisted Logo? I read somewhere you were a fan of the wipeout series but it just now dawned on me why that font looks so familiar.

Kinda funny though because I’ve had an account on here since shpongle.com was an actual site with the image of the 6 eyed head floating above animated water and this is my first post ever!

At any rate I am working on a new business right now. Once Microsoft buys us out I promise to support your label by buying it!! 

jono - 05 November 2009 05:55 PM

BTW is that the Wipeout font I detect on the Twisted Logo? I read somewhere you were a fan of the wipeout series but it just now dawned on me why that font looks so familiar.

I think Si’s a huge games fan; you’ll find the Hallucinogen track, ‘Bubble n’ Tweak’ on the Gran Turismo 4 soundtrack.

MRF - 05 November 2009 06:29 PM

jono - 05 November 2009 05:55 PM

BTW is that the Wipeout font I detect on the Twisted Logo? I read somewhere you were a fan of the wipeout series but it just now dawned on me why that font looks so familiar.

I think Si’s a huge games fan; you’ll find the Hallucinogen track, ‘Bubble n’ Tweak’ on the Gran Turismo 4 soundtrack.

Well I am sure he is but you know what?? Simon is only 5 years older than me yet while I was sitting on my ass playing Castlevania and Metroid this dude was out there revolutionizing goa trance before I even knew wtf trance was!!
He probably had numerous major releases before I even purchased my first synth!
I mean DAMN Simon! I hate you!....But I love ya man. lol

My copy arrived yesterday. All I will say for now is that I’m so glad I bought it, not only because the quality is so much better than those mp3’s I downloaded (guilty, I was too curious), but also because this is by far the best thing I’ve ever got for

Hungary here, mates.
My copy just arrived…. woooooo yeah . I’m so excited, like I was at the beginning of a long trip to some beautiful place. I’m going to wash my ears and than listen to this pearl .
Have a nice day everyone, I’m gone to Shpongleland.

Just got my cd, it has an outdated live promo which was in october 30-31, hehe (: Why did you put it there?

Lativa but not Sweden.
Anyone from Sweden, Norway, Denmark or Finland got it yet?

DiMuTech - 07 November 2009 12:16 AM

Lativa but not Sweden.

Well, the bad thing is that it is at home, but I’m at work. I did not see CD in real life yet, only photos made by my girlfriend, who sits at home at the moment. So I’m still listening pirated MP3s.

Imma pirate, yarrr!

Aux - 07 November 2009 12:19 AM

Well, the bad thing is that it is at home, but I’m at work. I did not see CD in real life yet, only photos made by my girlfriend, who sits at home at the moment.

Well you have something to look forward to at least. It’s sitting at home where mine is probably sitting in a sorting office after being subjected to multiple x-rays from the Swedish Customs.

Aux - 07 November 2009 12:19 AM

So I’m still listening pirated MP3s.

Imma pirate, yarrr!

I’ve bought it so why bother getting a leaked copy. I have heard the samples so believe I will love the album. I don’t need to confirm it by dl’ing.
It sucks I haven’t got it yet but it will get here soon enough. I’m more than positive it will have been worth the wait.

DiMuTech - 07 November 2009 12:30 AM

why bother getting a leaked copy. It sucks I haven’t got it but it will get here soon enough.

Well, I’m sort of a person who does not hear any difference between 192kbps and CD (and I was attending musical school in my childhood, heh), so I rip my legal music into MP3s and listen it in portable player. And since MP3s were released next day after I’ve made preorder I’m happy to listen Shpongle a week earlier! And actually this rip made me wanting CD even more to fullfill music with visual art inside.

Aux - 07 November 2009 12:37 AM

Well, I’m sort of a person who does not hear any difference between 192kbps and CD (and I was attending musical school in my childhood, heh), so I rip my legal music into MP3s and listen it in portable player. And since MP3s were released next day after I’ve made preorder I’m happy to listen Shpongle a week earlier! And actually this rip made me wanting CD even more to fullfill music with visual art inside.

It’s only legal if you got it legally. A leaked copy means it was put out illegally.
I also burn down my cd’s to mp3 for my walkman.
My point wasn’t that you did it personally more that I don’t feel the need or think it’s right to do it. Just cos it’s out there before the release doesn’t mean you have to get it.
With the complex layers of Shponlge music I’m sure you’ll hear more from the cd than the mp3. I think you’ll find that out when you get home to your lovely packet from Twisted

I bought the CD, it’s fantastic.
I think I’ll buy it again.

I’m impatient (: And no, I don’t think I will hear the difference, I have other Twisted CDs - no difference for me, sorry… And not only Twisted CDs - my music collection is rapidly growing, but I rarely listen CDs. It is mostly because I love artwork and support my favorite artists. For example, latest Younger Brother CD was listened twice, but latest The Prodigy CD was never listened by me, yet I really adore printed content inside. CDs are so XX century (: It would be better to have FLAC download (or V0 MP3s, hey even computers don’t see difference between V0 and CD) and artwork mailed. I would even pay a bit more (like 20EUR) to get more artwork and no plastic inside. And that can have some economical impact if done properly.