CD BABY
The Baby at work. After launching CD Baby, building it, selling it and living a minimalist life, Derek Sivers gave the creative world an exceptional tool to publish and market their work. The folks who took over the operation from Derek continue his work in an excellent way and have since built various possibilities for artists to promote their work. For independent artists like us (me & you) it is perfect to go public with our work, make it available on the main channels that once were only accessible by major label artists.
NEW WORLD
In the light of an ever changing world more and more artists find new ways to work on their art. They find an audience and release art to their audience. Derek was one of the founders of that new and extraordinary world.
I was lucky enough to have met him in person and can say from that experience that the man really lives what he preaches.
For us artists it means that we can strive and make a living and make more art for our audiences.
I just remembered that today when I realized I have already sold more of my work through CD Baby and Film Baby than any other outlet.
CELEBRATE
Not only do I want to draw attention to some heroes of mine but also celebrate making a living in unconventional ways. The DVD I made in 2008 is dedicated to all these heroes.
I called this show Breakdown on Paradise Blvd. “showdown in three acts”. Together with Hester Boverhuis of Amsterdam I wrote this show in 2003.
We performed it at a Munich gallery called Lothringer 13. The show is a trip to subconscious parts of the brain. Based on the experimental gonzo lifestyle and writings of Hunter Thompson and William Burroughs the show contains cut-ups of texts by Burroughs, Thompson and the Grimm brothers, plus fragments taken from a conversation of David Bowie and William Burroughs.
We staged exceptional surreal circumstances of life in sound, word and picture and recorded the show in Amsterdam the same year. After a hard fight to get funding for the post production, I was able to finally finish it in 2008, five years after the performance.
It is now a supercool DVD in 5.1. surround sound, the original stereo track and stunning visuals. A real trip, I’m proud to say!
