I got an email from Derek earlier today about a retail release of Raising Up the Dead. Yes, I am the person who said [t]here will be no store release. One of our forum people spotted the possibility of this release just before Christmas, and the intrepid Wally Walker decided to ping @caedmonscall about the release later that day, and it was news to the band.
Raising Up the Dead was done as what INO calls a “tribal release”, where there are no plans for the label to be involved with the release. The band releases the record to the tribe, the loyal supporters who form the core of any band’s fanbase. With a tribal release, there are no plans for digital or physical release. That leads to:
there was a great response among the band’s remaining tribe. and the label took notice of this. so then to our surprise, INO decided to release the record digitally, based on the quality and initial momentum of the record. and that went unexpectedly well, even hitting number one at amazonmp3.com.
If you’re on Twitter and follow Derek and other band members, you remember the flutter in mid-November where RUtD got crazy traction. Based off 1) the initial strong response of us, the fans of the album, and 2) the Internet’s response to INO’s digital distribution of the album, we’re now seeing 3) the physical distribution of the album.
The band knows that this “causes one obvious problem: we sold the record initially with no IDEA something like this could be possible and are now in a position to confuse or anger some of the most important and supportive members of our community (by releasing a physical version of the record after representing in our online sale that those would be the only physical versions made).”
Now, I read the comments here about the pre-sale and on our forum discussion about the record and then pre-sale; in fact, I’m a critic of how the pre-sale tiering was done. I know that people are going to be upset about a retail release after we were told that these 1000 discs would be it. I fully expect those frustrations will again be felt in those places.
However, there’s another way to look at this. If you bought the physical release at the top tier of the pre-sale, you are a Caedmon’s Call fan. You may well have wanted that price to be lower—I did—thinking like a consumer that you could just get a bit more. But if you read that allusion and heard Danielle singing in your head, you’re in the tribe. If you are, I think you likely want what all good tribes want: to increase in number and carry their message through the land. [After all, Who Is Arcade Fire?!]
If you’re upset, let fly in the comments below or vent on our forum. We’re here to listen. But I do want everyone to think about how this is a success for the band to make a record that had no retail expectations but ended up being a commercial success, enough to now want to seek greater success through physical distribution.
Update, 17 Feb 2011: It looks like the retail release will come in a jewel case and have different, simpler packaging.
i bought the top tier so i definitely have have an opinion. i did it being a fan of the band. i already had the guilds 2, 3 & 4 so i looked at it as supporting the band i love.
i know this WILL put some people off but this is through no fault of the band. their intention was just to sell 1,000 physical copies but because of word of mouth (us fans) it took a life of it’s own.
who knows, maybe RUtD will give Caedmon’s new life in the marketplace where we will benefit in even more music in the future.
i understand the frustration but also see it as a very good thing for everybody. :)
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I couldn’t be more happy for CC. Like Wally I hope this jumpstarts them into producing another album (maybe In the Company of Angels 3).
I don’t know how much of this is possible, but what about giving something special (some memento) to the 1000 people who originally bought physical copies. Idk.
Will the cd have the same artwork?
I’m a little annoyed because I’m the kind of person who really likes to have physical copies for collecting, especially when it comes to a band that I really enjoy. So this really puts me in a pickle. But I do understand the situation as well, and it’s nothing to really be that mad about. I like what Wally says about giving a little extra to those who did lay down the cash for the physical copies already.
I manage a Christian bookstore and am so excited that we now get to promote RUtD to our customer base. Being able to sell a physical copy of a cd helps the band/artist, the growth of the Christian music industry and the Christian retail industry.
Where did Caedmon’s Website go? It has that face page with ‘RUTD’, but there is no “continue to caedmonscall.com” like before. What gives?
Anyone going to the Rockford, IL show on father’s Day? Will this be the last Caedmon’s show ever?!?
Any news on the Caedmon’s front? I kind of feel left out to dry here with news… it’d be nice if they decided to call it quits to make an announcement or something.
They go through these heavy seasons and these quiet seasons. No news, but that’s not bad news.
Recently I have been thinking of you and searched through the website and try to update with the band and the tour etc.Would like to hear from you band members.Praying for you.See you some day in the future.
Your old Indian friend
Uncle Marcus