Sleater-Kinney Sign to Sub Pop

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2004-10-29 - WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THAT SLEATER-KINNEY HAS SIGNED TO SUB POP!

We couldn't possibly be happier if we tried. It is an honor to work with the band, and we got to hear them play some of the new jams they've been working on last week in Portland--AWESOMENESS!

To quote SK's lovely site, "On November 5th, Sleater-Kinney will begin recording a new album with producer Dave Fridmann at Tarbox Road Studios in rural New York. Fridmann is the long time producer of The Flaming Lips and also produced the upcoming Low album. We will spend much of November and December working on the record, with hopes of releasing it in late spring/early summer 2005." WE ARE SO PSYCHED!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Sunday, 31 October 2004 19:55 (twenty-one years ago)

DAVE FRIDMANN??????????????

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i wonder what made them switch?

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:21 (twenty-one years ago)

there was some pitchfork thing that implied a modest amount of beef between Corin and Slim Moon. Corin said something about Slim possibly retiring and he got all "we'll be around longer than she will" or something.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:22 (twenty-one years ago)

plus sub pop has a little more experience with larger indie hits and gaining mainstream attention. Hot Hot Heat even made the modern rock top 20 (though admittedly with some major label help - when you sign to a major the major doesn't mind helping your last, or only, indie album get a little more attention). plus they got the shins. it could signal an increase of exposure without ENTIRELY jumping to a major and risk being underpromoted.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:27 (twenty-one years ago)

THE LAST ALBUM WASN'T THAT GOOD

― LE CHUCK!™ (ex machina), Sunday, 31 October 2004 20:29 (twenty-one years ago)

anthony, i know that sub pop is a prominent indie label. thank you. i wasnt aware there were hostilities between members of the band and their previous label, though.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I've been assured by people who would know that there's no beef, lots of mutual love, etc.--they just wanted to try something different.

They played a bunch of the new songs at some tiny club shows last week--they sounded great & rather different from their older stuff, and I can see how Fridmann will do interesting things with them. I instantly recognized & was happy to hear one they'd played at the Sasquatch festival earlier this year, which bodes well.

― Douglas (Douglas), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I have to remind myself that Fridmann's done a lot of non-uberproduced stuff (he engineered Pinkerton!). I'm not sure I'm ready for Sleater-Kinney's Soft Bulletin

oh and LeChuck OTM. Only songs I really liked on One Beat were "Oh" and "Step Aside."

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:57 (twenty-one years ago)

manthony i love you but you're crazy

― Riot Gear! (Gear!), Sunday, 31 October 2004 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

best song on the last one was "Sympathy" - Corin doesn't get to (over-)emote enough as in Heavens to Betsy.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

TS: Corin Tucker vs. Corin Nemec (Parker Lewis Can't Lose)

And does anyone ever call Corin Tucker "Corky"? I want my PLCL DVDs.

― From a Land of Grass Without Mirrors (AaronHz), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:08 (twenty-one years ago)

"Light Rail Coyote" and "O2" were the best songs off One Beat for me. The tempo change and riff in the former are incredible.

― derrick (derrick), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:37 (twenty-one years ago)

And does anyone ever call Corin Tucker "Corky"?

I do now!

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

hehe

― From a Land of Grass Without Mirrors (AaronHz), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Coolness.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I still say coolness because of that show. Remember the one where Jerry was obsessed with video games and they eventually steamrollered his entire collection?
Fucking hell, someone needs to syndicate it again.

― From a Land of Grass Without Mirrors (AaronHz), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Mental note: Draw up petition for PLCL DVDs and syndication.

― From a Land of Grass Without Mirrors (AaronHz), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I'll sign.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Wtf? "Want to try something new"?? What, like taking money from TimeWarner?!? I don't get it. They could have signed with just about anyone. Why not Merge? Why not...Epitaph? or Lookout? or anyone?

― frankE (frankE), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:00 (twenty-one years ago)

are those other labels based in the pacific northwest?

― cinniblount (James Blount), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

They don't fit on Epitaph or Lookout at all (stylistically or audience-wise), Merge is no bigger than KRS.

xpost

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:06 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG FRANKE THEY SOLD OUT!

― From a Land of Grass Without Mirrors (AaronHz), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

If Ted Leo fits with Lookout than Sleater-Kinney does. And Epitaph has that whole Anti thing going. And Merge has more big name indie bands than KRS now. I don't really care, but I'm just saying.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

are those other labels based in the pacific northwest?

are those other labels not in any way related to a publically-traded behemouth? eh, whatever. subpop has barely been relevant to me for about ten years now.

Anti- would have been a nice place for them.

― frankE (frankE), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Strummer/Universal!

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:18 (twenty-one years ago)

What, like taking money from TimeWarner?!?

Time Warner sold off their music divison last year (making it the largest indie, d00d!), so that's not a valid point at all.

― Vic Funk, Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:20 (twenty-one years ago)

true. revised version: What, like taking money from Edgar Bronfman?!?

― frankE (frankE), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:21 (twenty-one years ago)

sleater kinney strike me as being on the wane, actually, so it's time for them to do something different like this (fridmann producing). mind I still think they're like the best live rock band I've ever seen, but the last two albums kind of ran together for me.

― kyle (akmonday), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm putting on One Beat right now just to show y'all how great it is.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Ted Leo sounds a lot more like Lookout's pop-punk past than Sleater-Kinney does. Anti- isn't like signing directly with Epitaph (and I don't think that S-K fits in between Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Neko Case too well).

Who are the big (current) names on Merge - Spoon and the Magnetic Fields? (I guess you could count the Buzzcocks)

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Arcade Fire and Lou Barlow (new signee). They're even reissuing the SST Dinosaur Jr. albums. They definitely seem more prolific and high profile than KRS right now (who have, what, the Gossip now?).

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:33 (twenty-one years ago)

The Magnetic Fields are on Nonesuch now.

― From a Land of Grass Without Mirrors (AaronHz), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:34 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah but Merge still hawked 69 Love Songs.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG ONE BEAT IS AWESOME.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know what to think of this...

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Whaddaya guys think of All Hands on the Bad One?

― The TAO that can be Posted is not the TAO! (The Tao that can be Posted is), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

all hands on the bad one is a fun record. sadly my cd is all fucked up from when I lived in a garage or I'd play it more often..

― still bevens (bscrubbins), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Is Lou Barlow a name anymore? The New Folk Implosion was a resounding dud. Reissuing Dino Jr. and signing Barlow, etc. sounds like Merge is still working their appeal to the same indie fanbase that's always been there, which wouldn't have been a step up at all from KRS (Sleater-Kinney+Gossip on KRS was as big a name as anyone on Merge).

They aren't coming out and saying it, but this seems like a clear move to expand S-K's fanbase and sales, and SubPop looks just right for that. Seems that they're doing it too late, though. The time to do this would have been post-Hot Rock or AHOTBO, when they were first getting loads and loads of press.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 31 October 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I like One Beat better than AHOTBO. It may be my least-favorite of theirs overall now, it doesn't have as much variety or interesting material as the others.

The video for "You're No Rock'n'Roll Fun" is still awesome though.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 1 November 2004 00:01 (twenty-one years ago)

They aren't coming out and saying it, but this seems like a clear move to expand S-K's fanbase and sales, and SubPop looks just right for that.

oh, I agree. Though if Green Day can pull of a late-in-the-game success like American Idiot (whose first week sales were even better than Insomniac I believe), I think Sleater-Kinney could as well.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 1 November 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, I agree. Though if Green Day can pull of a late-in-the-game success like American Idiot (whose first week sales were even better than Insomniac I believe), I think Sleater-Kinney could as well.

yeah, cuz Dookie didn't quite establish their popular success.

― frankE (frankE), Monday, 1 November 2004 01:05 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm talking relative.

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 1 November 2004 01:17 (twenty-one years ago)

American Idiot is no Dookie.

― LE CHUCK!™ (ex machina), Monday, 1 November 2004 01:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Sleater-Kinney will begin recording a new album with producer Dave Fridmann

OR-CHES-TRA! OR-CHES-TRA!

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Monday, 1 November 2004 01:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm surprised by the lukewarm response to One Beat. I don't hang out with many (any) S-K fans so have no insight into what floats boats, but it seemed like on Beat they finally discovered some strategies to tone down/work with the over-emotive vocals (a sticking point for me previously). I would have thought that others would feel the same. One Beat is the first time I didn't start thinking about "Baby's Gone" while listening to S-K (thinking about "Baby's Gone" = cringe).

I'm excited to hear their new album, and glad (assuming it's good) if it gets more exposure.

― dlp9001, Monday, 1 November 2004 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

One Beat was definitely a great album for people who didn't like Sleater-Kinney circa '96-'97

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 1 November 2004 02:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Guilty as charged!

― dlp9001, Monday, 1 November 2004 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha, One Beat and the self-titled disc are my favorites right now

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 1 November 2004 02:10 (twenty-one years ago)

One Beat-One Bite. Wanted to like it. "Lions and Tigers" was the only really good track, for me--on the bonus disc (lame marketing gimmick, that). Run out of ideas? Then play really fucking loud and lay on the heavy production! Meanwhile Carrie's vocals went from borderline to pretty embarrassing, reminiscent of Missing Persons. "Combat Rock" or whatever it was called was a low low point.

― nono, Monday, 1 November 2004 02:34 (twenty-one years ago)

OTM! "Lions And Tigers" was way better than a lot of the album tracks, yeah. And the last two albums have been hella tainted with bad accents. "Milkshake'n'Honey" anyone?

― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 1 November 2004 02:47 (twenty-one years ago)

"Off with your head" > "Lions and Tigers"

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Monday, 1 November 2004 03:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, it's better than a few ("Combat Rock"/"Hollywood Ending"/"Prisstina") songs on the actual record, too (which otherwise ties about w/'Hot Rock' for my fav woohah). Wish they'd signed to a major, this could be kinda pointless

― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 1 November 2004 03:08 (twenty-one years ago)

they should sign to Interscope

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 1 November 2004 03:21 (twenty-one years ago)

parker lewis is on stargate sg-1 now.
maybe sleater kinney will get a guest spot on a WB show now.

― keith m (keithmcl), Monday, 1 November 2004 04:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Synchronize swatches!

(I am not an SK fan at all, but I did love me some Parker Lewis.)

― Raymond Cummings (Raymond Cummings), Monday, 1 November 2004 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

Just heard the new disc. Definitely different, songwriting and sound.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Anything in the way of majestically floating strings and big, booming, reverbed drums?

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

more details, please, Josh!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, let me be direct: does Corin Tucker now sport wavy hair and a salt-and-pepper beard?

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Low-end mellotron flourishes? Crackly treble-filtered vocals? Kick and snare gates? Bowed saw? Guest vocal appearance by Emma from the Delgados?

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Super distorted drums and guitars, as different from past S-K albums as "St. Anger" is from "Master of Puppets."

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Guitar solos, too.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

It sounds more like a first album than a seventh or whatever. That may have been the idea.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

noise solos on a couple. totally fucking distorted--I'd heard the pre-mastered copy, thought the sound was down to it not being mastered, got the actual mastered promo, and it sound exactly the same. I like it.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Friday, 11 February 2005 22:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Rough like unsanded board. Yum.

― Douglas (Douglas), Friday, 11 February 2005 23:25 (twenty-one years ago)

it's wwwaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy the fuck out there compared to One Beat.

― don weiner, Saturday, 12 February 2005 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Like I said on one of the Neko Case threads, I'm going to buy this anyway, so if anyone feels like helping a brother out...

richardgin@g (ma!l).c0m

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Saturday, 12 February 2005 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Congrats, guys. I haven't been this excited to hear a new Sleater-Kinney record since the 90s.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Saturday, 12 February 2005 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

wot modj said: skiplevels @ gmail . com

― cozen (Cozen), Saturday, 12 February 2005 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Really memorable new songs, too--they played "Entertain" last year at the Sasquatch festival (Memorial Day) weekend, and when I got the advance I thought "omigod this is THAT song!"

― Douglas (Douglas), Saturday, 12 February 2005 17:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Change the Greek in my email to geemale!

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Saturday, 12 February 2005 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

It would be nice to like this one. I don't hate One Beat and All Hands, but they were both massive disappointments after The Hot Rock.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Saturday, 12 February 2005 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

add me to the list of beggars, please.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Saturday, 12 February 2005 18:35 (twenty-one years ago)

[email protected]

― latebloomer: HE WHOM DUELS THE DRAFGON IN ENDLESS DANCE (latebloomer), Saturday, 12 February 2005 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

hope to see it on ilm room in slsk or on the ilx hub on dc++

― Sébastien Chikara (Sébastien Chikara), Saturday, 12 February 2005 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I listened to the Hot Rock again recently, and it's their best. One Beat had all of about two incredible songs: O2 and Light Rail Coyote. The way the latter moves back into the monster riff from the faster bridge spins my head around every time.

― derrick (derrick), Sunday, 13 February 2005 03:39 (twenty-one years ago)

NEED THIS

NOW!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Sunday, 13 February 2005 03:46 (twenty-one years ago)

One Beat also had "Sympathy" and "Oh." There aren't really any dud tracks on it.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Sunday, 13 February 2005 04:00 (twenty-one years ago)

not dud, but not incredible. certainly nothing as off-kilter and skewed as a lot of The Hot Rock. Start Together, when the second guitar comes in, might be my favourite S-K moment.

― derrick (derrick), Sunday, 13 February 2005 04:07 (twenty-one years ago)

"Sympathy," "Oh," and "Step Aside" are the only songs on One Beat that I care to listen to anymore. That album is okay, but it's really shrill and aggravating for the most part.

The Hot Rock is S-K's best album by a million miles.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Sunday, 13 February 2005 06:10 (twenty-one years ago)

The Hot Rock is the mellow/relationship/slightly arty SK album. I can see people singling it out because it isn't as shrill as the other ones. "Get Up" is probably one of my favorite songs of all time.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Sunday, 13 February 2005 06:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Also people should know I can't really talk about Sleater Kinney without going into hysterics.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Sunday, 13 February 2005 06:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Matthew and Michael OTM re: The Hot Rock in general and "Get Up" in particular. Them's my favorites, too.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 13 February 2005 07:52 (twenty-one years ago)

It has been 24 hours, and I am getting angry...

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Sunday, 13 February 2005 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

...urge to kill rising...

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Monday, 14 February 2005 05:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Grovelling might be the better course of action here.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Monday, 14 February 2005 05:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Plus that user name is doing you no favors with the ladies.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Monday, 14 February 2005 06:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Hippy

― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 14 February 2005 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Also what ladies, also boy am I looking forward to this

― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 14 February 2005 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

What's it called???

― mei (mei), Monday, 14 February 2005 12:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Listen, if O'Riley can make friends with the women before bedding them down, then i can too

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Monday, 14 February 2005 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

JD tells me it is called "The Woods". JD is not in S-K, tho.

― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Monday, 14 February 2005 14:33 (twenty-one years ago)

One of the songs is 11 minutes long!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 03:03 (twenty-one years ago)

it's called The Woods, yes. (I think it was going to be called Entertain but that got changed. I'm probably wrong about that, though--it was something I saw on the net somewhere, not official record company talk.) and yes, one song is 11 minutes.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 03:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the Sub Pop site mentions that it is called the Woods too.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 03:09 (twenty-one years ago)

not YET i'm not, andrew.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 03:12 (twenty-one years ago)

it's the first album of theirs i've ever REALLY liked

― Jams Murphy (ystrickler), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 03:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like it as much as I do One Beat (my fave, feh to hataz haha, or meh'ers is more like it) or Dig Me Out; it might not even be my fourth- or fifth-favorite by them. but it's brave and excellent; I think I'm still working out to which degrees I admire it for its braveness and for its excellence. meaning that I don't wanna be all like "their best ever!" or something (I don't think it is) just because it's a sharp left, though I think the sharp left definitely works.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 03:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Holy crap I want to hear some of this.

― Simon H. (Simon H.), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 03:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Sharing is caring...

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 05:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Kinda amazed that the promos are out and it hasn't leaked yet. Way to go honorable music crits.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 06:20 (twenty-one years ago)

(I wasn't being sarcastic, though I'd love to the record.)

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 06:21 (twenty-one years ago)

(*cough*checktheilmroomonslsk*cough*)

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 06:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, this really is the indie rock ST ANGER!

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 07:03 (twenty-one years ago)

dammit why do i have to find out about these things when i've just gotten to work - 5 1/2 hours until I can go home and try to get this...

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 07:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Now I kind of feel bad for even having it... well, not that bad, but I'll refrain from writing about it in any official capacity until at least the first week of May.

http://www.sleater-kinney.com/021405.html

Hello everyone.
As many of you know, our new record, The Woods, comes out on May 24th. While there is really nothing we can do to stop people from leaking/downloading promo copies of 'The Woods' on the Internet, we wanted to say that we don't support this action and we wanted to address it directly, and hopefully, preemptively.

It seemed important for you to know how we feel about it.

The people we are most excited to have hear this record are our friends and you, our fans, the people who have supported us and who are eager to hear our new ideas. We feel as impatient for this new music to get out into the world as we're sure some of you do.

Our latest record is something that we have worked on for a long time. The writing took nearly two years in an effort to challenge and push ourselves. And the recording/mixing itself took six weeks. So much of this new record is a response to the deadening and watering down of music. We wanted to make something that felt wild and alive and that made us excited to wake up in the mornings. There is art work and lyrics and images that we want to share. Ideally, this record would be presented in the way we have envisioned it; as a complete entity, flowing and tangible and within the context that we have created for it. Part of that context is the community that we come from, and this community includes you. And we have some of the best fans: you are smart and critical and outspoken, and we're proud to feel a connection with you.

Most people who download indie songs/albums for free find other ways of supporting the bands they love. And we acknowledge that it is a new era and that many people discover music through file sharing. We feel lucky to be a band that has grown organically over the years and we realize that technology has changed the entire process of growth and awareness of music. We love, for instance, that bootlegs of our live shows are traded on the Internet. This isn't about the fear of people not supporting us financially as indie artists (though trust us that it can feel scary as hell for this to be out there so early.). Mostly, however, we feel that it is about respect and about people supporting us by being aware of our artistic intent. We ask that you please respect our wishes to present this record the way we intended. We're certain that you would want the same for your own endeavors, artistic or otherwise.

So much of what this record is about sacrificing everything to feeling, it's about experience and living and being in the present tense. There will be so many things to experience between now and May 24th; so many other records to sit with and live through, as well as films, books, friends, conversations, etc.

The most honest thing we can say is that it breaks our hearts to think of this being out there early. It actually just feels awful. The release date is 3 months away. We have worked for so long on this record. It's not real for us until May 24th; that is the moment when we get to share this piece of our lives that we are so proud of, to share it with you the way we intended; please wait until then to share it with us.

If you have put this record up on the Internet, please take it down now.

Thank you,
Corin, Carrie, and Janet

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 07:49 (twenty-one years ago)

FUKK YU ANUT HIPPEE

― The Argunaut (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 07:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Dear Sleater-Kinney,

Why did you authorize SubPop to start widely distributing advance CDs more than three months prior to the album's release date?

Sincerely,
Kill Rock Stars street team

― don weiner, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

That is the most sensible "please don't download our record early" plea that I've ever read.

I can't understand why Subpop sent the promos out so early though - wouldn't it have made more sense to do it in early April at the soonest? I was thinking that this thing was out in March!

It might be a good idea for Subpop to push the release date up hip hop style...

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 14:04 (twenty-one years ago)

honestly, 3 months is not very uncommon to start allowing press copies out, to generate plenty of time for reviews to be written/printed prior to the release date.

heck, Low's the Great Destroyer leaked back in October, and the new Iron & Wine EP in November or so. so it seems to be the trend at Sub Pop lately.

but yeah, i think they should maybe move the release date up to the end of April/early May.

― solace (solace), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 14:23 (twenty-one years ago)

goddamn, now I feel really bad and lame about asking whether anyone has this on slsk right now - hoping my promo copy gets here soon but damn if i can wait!

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 14:50 (twenty-one years ago)

(*cough*checktheilmroomonslsk*cough*)

and then share with me. honestly, I feel half-bad, but i am so going to buy this anyway... and the only other albums I want to hear are Neko and teh Avalanches, and I sincerely doubt they will be out before S-K, thus sort of debunking their argument.

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

The Moral: Moral relativisim is a sunuvabitch

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 15:00 (twenty-one years ago)

are you in the cough cough room Nick?

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 15:04 (twenty-one years ago)

sub pop sends out scads of promos way way way early. they should take this up with the label, not the fans

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

That's true. Sub Pop now is almost as bad as Astralwerks was three to four years ago (when it seemed like they'd rather give albums away than have people actually buy them).

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh... it's on indietorrents now... I'm going to download it, but they are making me think twice about actually listening to it now.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

you're going to listen to it, you're going to like it, you're going to break down an buy it

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Of course I'm going to buy it! But any illusory sense of shared community that I can have with them might just be worth not listening to it! By the time I submit this post, I'll have it on my computer.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

This record is totally worth buying even if you have downloaded it. It's impressive stuff. I'd post a song from it, but I'm going to honor S-K's wishes til it comes out officially.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

would you be willing to share it w/ me, oh Principled Perpetua? :-) i'm planning on buying it too, but you can't just tease us like that.

― Josh Love (screamapillar), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

That is the most sensible "please don't download our record early" plea that I've ever read.
Bit unsure what you mean by "sensible". The only thing they have to offer by means of persuasion is that we, those wonderful fans they flatter in the first half of the letter, will be cheated out of the thing they want to "share" with us--the album packaged as a cd with artwork/liner notes. This is a position filled with holes. Why, if we are such great fans, would we be unable to digest this album in an alternative way, hearing it now (in the PRESENT, not months from now when the "feelings" it deals with are still more distant from the time of its romantic creation), then perceiving it anew in May? Is the music so weak that we'll be sick of it by then? (I'm also not convinced of the power of that packaging, based on previous S/K releases, but who knows, maybe it's impressive.) This is the logic of "opening weekend."

I sympathize to a certain extent--of course you don't want to lose control of your artistic product, as basically all musicians have by now--but I resent the disingenuous argument. They are saying we are cheating ourselves (you have so many other things to experience between now and when you buy your album at the store, you won't be able to if you listen to us now!), when this is really all about them.

― Ima Squirrel, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 17:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the message is not just about downloading but about how SK's music is presented to you, on the right date and in the packaging. I can dig this idea. If that's the way they want it, why don't you just wait a little while? Why is there this constant need to get everything now and first? Is a great record no less great if you hear it a little later than some people? that was an xpost but it works anyhow

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Ima OTM. It's a weak argument. When I buy a CD these days, I page through the packaging maybe once, rip it mp3, throw it on my ipod and take it with me where i want to listen to it. it'd be nice to think that i curl up in front of my stereo with the door closed endlessly pawing the insert (let alone an album cover), but those daze are long, long gone.

― john'n'chicago, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:11 (twenty-one years ago)

(xpost)
on the right date and in the packaging. I can dig this idea. If that's the way they want it, why don't you just wait a little while?

And of course, this assumes that there is some inherent rightness to the date and the packaging. And that their desires take precedence over yours. I didn't like "One Beat" after loving the previous three albums and am eager to hear what they've done. I'll hear it when it's available to me. Actually I wish I had heard "One Beat" before buying it (though I did like the Bonus disk, so maybe I would have lost out on that).

― Ima Squirrel, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Few labels send out widespread advances this early--sure, some advances go out a few months ahead of time to key writers, but it's a relatively short list because no one but the glossies work on such early deadlines. This is a moronic move by SubPop.

I am liking the album though. Props to SubPop for making sure I get everything but the Shins releases without asking.

― don weiner, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I always assumed (wrongly, it turns out) that Corin, Carrie, and Janet were immune to banal pieties like: "So much of what this record is about sacrificing everything to feeling, it's about experience and living and being in the present tense."

Yuck!!

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

There will be so many things to experience between now and May 24th; so many other records to sit with and live through, as well as films, books, friends, conversations, etc.

gag

I feel no guilt about trying to download this. I'll be in line to buy it the day it's released even if I don't love it.

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it is sensible in that it's not angry at the fans or unreasonable in their expectations of the audience. I think they make a decent case for wanting people to wait it out.

I think that it might be wise for Subpop and S-K to get the album on iTunes and other pay download sites asap and work up some kind of special bonus for the official cd release.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:40 (twenty-one years ago)

pre-release on iTunes? That's the best sales idea I've heard in awhile.

― The Argunaut (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

but it might anger the distributors, which in SubPOPs case are major label??

― The Argunaut (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:46 (twenty-one years ago)

As for "unreasonable in their expectations of their audience"--this is the case against downloading in general. Which I happen to think is a legitimate position, I just don't share it. What I object to is the way they've dressed it up. They aren't angry at their fans--they are guilt-tripping them (we worked so hard, now look what you're doing) while pretending it's for their own sake (you'll thank us when you're older). Thanks, I've got a Jewish mother already!

― Ima Squirrel, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

That's not a reason for downloading their record, simply b/c you don't like the way they've presented their argument, is it? They stated their wishes pretty clearly.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

No, the reason for downloading the record is that you're so excited to hear it that you don't want to wait 3 months, and don't see a legitimate reason for waiting. I certainly wouldn't do it out of spite!

― Ima Squirrel, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

That idea of putting the record out on iTunes to control a leak is not a new one - that was the plan for U2 if their most recent album got out too soon.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

The legitimate reason is that they asked you nicely to not do that. xpost

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

If I got a chance to download it, I would. Even if I disliked what I heard, I'd buy it because I'm a fan. I suspect most SK fans feel the same, so the girls have nothing to worry about.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

mcd, again, if you feel bound by their request you will probably not be doing any unauthorized downloading in general, since generally (with some exceptions of course) artists oppose it. My point was that their argument is not very different from that of the RIAA etc. I've seen more persuasive arguments against downloading, e.g. Chris Cutler's, which acknowledge that economic issues are more central than artistic ones in this realm. I don't think S/K have dealt with that in their letter, which sentimentalizes the whole thing.

― Ima Squirrel, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:26 (twenty-one years ago)

If they don't want their record to leak, then there are a lot of EASY ways to prevent it from happening. Either the band is stupid, lazy, naive, or ignorant to think otherwise. Their letter may be heartfelt but it makes me feel sorry for them--sorry that they were complicit in the massive leak and don't even bother to make note of it. If S-K didn't want this to happen, they could have taken better care of the product. If they think they did their best to prevent a situation like this, then I wish part of the note would reflect that. After all, how do they think their fans feel, knowing that "those in the know" will be listening to this labor of love for more than three months before the paying fans will even get a chance? What I don't like is how the band blames everyone but themselves for the leak--the least they could do is blame SubPop.

― don weiner, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

You misunderstand me. I'm not trying to make an argument for or against downloading, that's another twenty threads or so long. I'm making an argument against downloading the SK album after they have asked their fans directly in this letter to please not do that. Sure, you can say hey fuck them, who cares, it's their label's fault, it's the industry's fault, who leaked it?, it's the critics fault, it's their own fault, why should I wait to hear their record, I don't owe them anything, fuck those disingenuous artists, it's not my fault, after all, I love them so much I can't wait. I mean, I guess we're just in disagreement here, someone I respect artistically asks me nicely not to d/l their record, I say ok, what's the harm. I didn't mean to get into a big argument on this thread and I'm not opposed to downloading in general, even, it just seems they're hurt by it and explicit in their views on it. My initial post I was just wondering what the big deal with waiting a few months is?

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:48 (twenty-one years ago)

You should respect any artist that asks you not to d/l their album, whether you artistically respect them or not.

There's no big deal to waiting 3 months or more to hear the album, but there is sort of a big deal between letting a couple hundred writers get to hear it for free for that time period while the paying fan has to wait. If I were part of the S-K fan club, I'd be pissed off about that.

― don weiner, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 19:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I don't really care that much one way or the other about dl-ing in general, but actually it is their music, not them, that I like. I've never interacted with them personally so I'm not that concerned about hurting their feelings. They probably also wouldn't have wanted me to tell people that "One Beat" was a piece of shit, since they probably worked very hard on it. But this position--"someone I respect artistically asks me nicely not to d/l their record, I say ok"--is not something one can argue with. I do, however, wonder why they have to go to the trouble of asking you. Their attitude is likely widely shared, and their directions are applicable more or less across the board.

― Ima Squirrel, Tuesday, 15 February 2005 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, for starters I think lots of artists are happy for the advance free promotion a leaked album offers.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 20:47 (twenty-one years ago)

In other words, I don't think their attitude is widely shared or applicable across the board.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 20:48 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm psyched to hear the record though. I thought One Beat was kinda tame, too.

― mcd (mcd), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 20:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't understand why anyone would feel compelled to pay any attention to an artists' demands--how is it different from disobeying the Q-Tip box and sticking that shit all up in your ear, or buying a "water pipe for tobacco" and smoking pot out of it? Once your product reaches the consumer (legitimately or not) I don't know how much validity your pleas for "correct" usage have.

Perhaps because it's an "incomplete" product(sans artwork and whatever) the argument could be made that incorrect usage could be dangerous (maybe the artwork explains their elaborate, fantasy-themed song cycle and the lack of it leads to mass confusion; or the Q-Tips are half-finished, missing the soft cotton pieces and are just good for piercing eardrums) but I think music downloaders (and Q-Tip bootleggers) assume that risk and tend to treat their pirated booty as a temporary solution or only quasi-official and don't make excessively harsh judgements based solely on MP3s.

― adam (adam), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 21:00 (twenty-one years ago)

b-b-but their feelings are involved!

― The Argunaut (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 21:09 (twenty-one years ago)

about this ILM 50ul5eék room... how does it work?

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 21:14 (twenty-one years ago)

A-a-and they're hot!

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

just pop in the room and ask if people are willing to share. failing a response, just right click on everyone and browse their files.

― Dude, are you a 15 year old asian chick? (jingleberries), Tuesday, 15 February 2005 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

It is very good!

― Leeeter van den Renegedenband (Leee), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 02:36 (twenty-one years ago)

here's a good compromise if you love the new record (like me) but are sympathetic to the band's request (also like me): order something from their online store (http://www.sleater-kinney.com/shop/index.html). Now I'll have that, er, cat shirt that I've, um, always wanted...

― bchan (bchan), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 09:27 (twenty-one years ago)

part of me wonders the ratio of people who'll read that note and decide not to dl it and how many will read it and think 'o shit - it's leaked!' and dl immediately.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 09:32 (twenty-one years ago)

"You should respect any artist that asks you not to d/l their album, whether you artistically respect them or not."

otm

― ¬_¬ (PUNXSUTAWNEY PENIS), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

2 : 47

(xpost)

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 09:53 (twenty-one years ago)

It's time for artists to take leaks and file sharing into account when they're planning how they want the finished product presented. That's the reality, so the smart thing would be to get creative with it. Record some fake tracks that are still worthwhile or something, throw people off the scent in a playful way that makes them look forward to the record. Take mass media into account when making art. Then finally when the tracks floating around gel around this final thing on the release date. To plan the release of your new album like it's 1975 just doesn't make sense. Without even getting into good or bad, you just have to deal with things the way they are.

Or you could just insert those 2 khz "beeps" into every track like that fucking Luomo promo!

― Mark (MarkR), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 16:11 (twenty-one years ago)

For the record, you can search the entire room at once by right clicking on the chat window.

xxxxxx-post

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 16:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I have no slssk; does anyone feel like iming me this

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Give me your phone number and we'll chat!

― The RIAA (Michael F Gill), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 16:34 (twenty-one years ago)

GEE! THAT'S A NEAT-O IDEA! THANKS INTERNET PEOPLE! BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, STUDIO TIME IS, LIKE, TOTALLY CHEAP AND RECORDING SONGS ISN'T REALLY EVEN LIKE WORK AT ALL! I'M SURE THE LABEL WON'T WANT TO RECOUP THAT STUDIO MONEY WE SPENT RECORDING FAKE TRAX FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT!!!!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

WHy don't rec companees just slice up promo cds into 99 tracks of equal length? They'll play fine in cd players, but if u try to rip em to mp3, there'll bee gaps evrywhar??

― The Argunaut (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 16 February 2005 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

...

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Thursday, 17 February 2005 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

( )

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 18 February 2005 00:14 (twenty-one years ago)

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Friday, 18 February 2005 00:32 (twenty-one years ago)

― Jimmy Mod always makes friends with women before bedding them down (ModJ), Friday, 18 February 2005 00:33 (twenty-one years ago)

[sic]

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 18 February 2005 01:18 (twenty-one years ago)

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