In an interesting development, Australian metal maestros, Ne Obliviscaris, have announced a highly ambitious movement to the way bands and their fans can connect with the creation of a consistent and direct line of finance to said bands.
In a detailed statement, Ne Obliviscaris discussed how their old system of financing bands through album sales (especially with CDs being on a downward slide) and so forth have become obsolete, but that no alternative or solution has yet been found. With what they believe to be the best way around this growing problem for new and upcoming bands, if successful, this movement could pave the way for a slew of new bands that would no longer need to put their entire lives on the line for a slight chance of success.
Labeling this new campaign as ‘Join the Ne Obluminati’, the prog metal heads go into the intricate details explaining all of the ins and outs of how this system – which will be run through the new online platform, Patreon, on a monthly basis – and how it will affect everyone involved, from the bands to the fans.
On the band’s Patreon page explains all of the details:
“We have inherited a broken system that is no longer what it once was, yet has not found a definitive new way forward. A system where only the biggest of the big bands are able to make a living and the rest of us sacrifice our whole lives and risk financial ruin every step of the way.
So where to from here? Well, we want to create an interactive fan experience unlike any band that has come before us.
We want to help create a path, not just for Ne Obliviscaris, but for the countless bands across the world that are working incredibly hard, touring the world to perform for their fans and losing money every step of the way.
And we want to do it by empowering YOU, the fans, so that you get to decide who succeeds and who doesn’t. The old establishment is dying. Let’s show that we can create our own new way forward and put the power back where it should be, with the fans who love and believe in the music that we, and so many great bands out there are creating.”
The page also explains how it will work in the fans favor:
“We wouldn’t have been able to take that next step in our career without the massive support we have received from our fans. But with the crowd funding money long gone and enormous touring opportunities on the horizon, for a while now we have been trying to work out what to do next.
What we are asking of NeO fans is a small ongoing commitment; to become patrons of Ne Obliviscaris through a new platform called Patreon, where you can contribute as little or as much as you want on a monthly basis.
In return, as well as the knowledge that you are directly supporting and financing the music and career of a band you like, we are also going to be creating a host of new content available exclusively to our Patreon members. Some of this content includes exclusive and/or early access to:
New NeO music, interactive tour video diaries, exclusive merch ranges, pre-sale ticket options, giveaways and competitions, tour podcasts, feature band interviews, Drum, Bass, Violin & Guitar video tutorials from NeO members, live online chats with the band, live video streaming of NeO rehearsals, access to exclusive cover song recordings & more.
PLUS VIP levels that include benefits such as free tickets to shows, phone calls from members upon signing up or on your birthday, personal thank you in the liner notes of our next album, side of stage access at shows and even the ability to help choose our set list when we play in your town.
It is the fans that have the power to decide which bands are successful. Every band that earns a living from their music does so financed by their fanbase, regardless of how many middlemen jump into the mix to dilute the money pool. What we are doing, cuts out all the middlemen and provides a direct way for fans to support NeO in an ongoing fashion.”
The band compared the way the system would work to the Australian Sports Culture, where its fans support teams in a similar way through club membership programs and various donation methods.
One of the band’s vocalist, Xenoyr, recently did an interview with The Void, an Australian website dedicated to the modern metal industry, on their Patreon, which can be found here.
If you wish to support the band in their endeavor, you can find their Patreon page here.
