Musician Mike Doughty Offers Unique Copy Of His New Song, Personalized To Each Buyer, For $543.09

from the well,-that's-an-idea dept

Tue, Dec 11th 2012 8:01pm — Mike Masnick

Mike Doughty, a frequently awesome musician who may mostly be known for his work in the band Soul Coughing (though his solo work after that is even better), has always been known for creative attempts at navigating the new music world. He's frequently said that the original Napster saved his career and he's been willing to embrace new media and new models in the same somewhat experimental way that he crafts music. The latest offering is somewhere between a business model experiment and performance art (and, honestly, when the two blend together, that's often a good thing). He's written a song called "Dogs/Demons" which is not being released on any album or online in any manner. The only way to get it is to pay $543.09 and he'll record you an entirely personalized performance directly into a voice recorder and send it to you. You can pick which of 3 different keys he'll record it in, there's an optional bridge for an additional $267.18 (you know you want it), and at the beginning of the song, he'll state the date, time, location, the recording number and "the full first, middle, and last name of the person who orders it." The voice recorder itself will also be signed and numbered.

In the FAQ, he makes it clear that the full name is absolutely required:

Q: I’m going to put a weird fake name in there, like Hoobop Skibbyskabby Lorbowl–will you say it?

A: No. Essential to this piece is the actual, full name of the person who purchases it. If your name is indeed along the lines of “Hoobop Skibbyskabby Lorbowl,” you may be asked to provide documentation proving this is indeed your name.

Q: I hate my middle name! Will you omit it from my recording of “Dogs/Demons”?

A: Again, essential to this piece is the real, three-part name. If you have no middle name you may be asked to provide documentation; the same goes for multiple-middle-name possessors.

Q: I’d like the name of my friend, colleague, or partner said on my version of “Dogs/Demons,” as well as my own name, can you do that?

A: Alas, no: only one name can be in each recording.

As for buyers, he notes that they can "sell it to somebody else for more than you paid for it–you can auction it off, you can exhibit it. All that stuff." Though, he makes it clear that he still retains the copyright, he also notes "there will doubtless be some sold person-to-person, or bootlegged, and I accept this as the nature of the world."

He admits that he's more or less copying the idea of artist Ray Johnson as shown in the documentary How to Draw a Bunny.

While it's certainly not the best way to get that particular song heard widely, as part of a continuing strategy to draw attention for doing some unique things (and, who knows, maybe make some money in the process), it seems like an amusing experiment.

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Filed Under: business models, how to draw a bunny, mike doughty, ray johnson, scarcity, soul coughing

21 Comments

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out_of_the_blue, 11 Dec 2012 @ 8:12pm

Okay, more reason to hate Napster...
"He's frequently said that the original Napster saved his career..."

Since he's retaining copyright, then by Techdirt notions, he can't possibly succeed.

Take a moment for Mike "Streisand Effect" Masnick and click:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect
Actual unsolicited testimonial: "Until I read Techdirt.com, I didn't know what shameless self-promotion was!"
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Dec 2012 @ 8:54pm
  
  Re: Okay, more reason to hate Napster...
  I wonder if Blue will catch on the the fact that he's making Techdirt and The Streisand effect even more popular.
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  - Zakida Paul (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 1:15am
    
    Re: Re: Okay, more reason to hate Napster...
    I think you are giving him too much credit, he has trouble remembering which shoe goes on which foot.
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Dec 2012 @ 8:59pm
  
  Re: Okay, more reason to hate Napster...
  Did you find your mind yet? It seems to have been lost for quite some time.
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- Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 6:37am
  
  Re: Okay, more reason to hate Napster...
  The sad state of copyright law provides that his recordings are automatically under copyright (and shudder to think, your comments would automatically be auto-copyrighted, too). Of course, there is a big difference between having a copyright and enforcing it.
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- Gwiz (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 8:36am
  
  Re: Okay, more reason to hate Napster...
  Since he's retaining copyright, then by Techdirt notions, he can't possibly succeed.
  
  Where did anyone say that? Gotta link to back up such nonsense?
  
  And solely for your edification: Retaining one's copyright does not equal enforcing ones copyright. Different things, Einstein.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Dec 2012 @ 8:27pm

I remember Soul Coughing! Their song "Circles" was used in a music video on Cartoon Network. I'll definitely check out this song.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Dec 2012 @ 9:41pm

Adolph Blaine Charles David Earl Frederick Jack Gerald Hubert Irvin John Kenneth Lloyd Martin Nero Oliver Paul Quincy Randolph Sherman Thomas Uncas Victor William Xerxes Yancy Zeus Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorft Senior should totally buy one.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Dec 2012 @ 10:14pm

Remember when songs only cost a buck?
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Dec 2012 @ 10:39pm

The list is growing longer of people that do novelty shit as a business model once, and then never do it again.

I wonder why...
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- That One Guy (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 12:24am
  
  Because Science!
  It's called experimentation, where someone will try something out to see if it works. Sometimes it will, sometimes it won't, only way to find out though is to test it.
  
  The 'novelty' bit also explains why they don't just keep doing the same thing over and over; while something may be interesting and draw fans in the first time it happens, the draw will be less and less the more often it's repeated, hence, they change up what they try.
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- Zakida Paul (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 1:17am
  
  Re:
  At least they are trying new things which is more than I can say about the RIAA (BPI in the UK). In case you have forgotten, any business can only grow and be successful by trying new things.
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Karl, 11 Dec 2012 @ 11:45pm

Scout Niblett
Scout Niblett did something similar a few years ago when she recorded 100 versions of a track and sent it out to fans. It only cost $10 too:

http://www.scoutniblett.info/news/216/single-recorded-100-times
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The Real Michael, 12 Dec 2012 @ 5:24am

I've got $543 spare dollars just lying around. I could either buy a bunch of albums, movies, software and games or just plop it all down on one overly expensive song.

Gee, let me think about that one...
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Dec 2012 @ 7:27am

Goddamn I wish Ozzy would do this I would pay for that in a heartbeat.
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Gene Cavanaugh (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 8:34am

Selling a personalized song
If people are that dumb, hey! I will write a song, mentioning the buyer's name, and exalting him/her as the "chosen" for, say, $1000.00.

Such a deal!
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Dec 2012 @ 11:12am

I'm not that big on Mike Doughty, but i do like Soul Coughing a little bit..

the whole "it must be your real name" kinda turns me off, as does the "if you have a weird name, prove it" along with the "prove you have 2 middle names" malarky. If people are paying $530 for one song, shouldn't they be able to name themselves whatever the fuck they want for that price? hes recording a song, not speaking under oath.

I'd pass. even if i was a huge fan.
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- Gwiz (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 11:28am
  
  Re:
  If people are paying $530 for one song, shouldn't they be able to name themselves whatever the fuck they want for that price?
  
  Yeah. I have to agree with that.
  
  It also seems to exclude anyone wishing to purchase this as a gift for someone else. That will only reduce the demand.
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ghost (profile), 12 Dec 2012 @ 3:08pm

RE:
I'm doing something similar, but it's a better deal.

it's a commissioned painting on their album cover
+ a custom audio track
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quawonk, 13 Dec 2012 @ 4:31am

I guess the 9 cents makes or breaks the deal.
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dennis deems (profile), 14 Dec 2012 @ 7:36am

This smells like those awful photo T-Shirts from the 80's
Why would someone want a song with their name in it? That's just creepy.
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