Online Business Model for a Band?

Backes asks: "I've seen a lot of submissions about P2P, iTMS, DRM, piracy, and the RIAA, lately. Apparently everyone has an opinion on this and most seem think that the recording industry are a bunch of greedy people that stick it to the consumer as well as their own artists. After hearing some of the stories, I'm not even sure that getting signed to a label would be the best course of action for an aspiring musician or band. So what is a better option? What would you, the Slashdot community, do to make it big on your own using the Internet?"

"What kinds of features would a site need? Would you pay for downloads of MP3s from a band's site or not? At what price? Would donations work, or would everyone just freeload? How often would you need updates or new songs to keep you coming back? If downloads were free, would you then buy a full length album from the site just to get the CD? What special features should the CD include? How would you get your name out? What do you think is the best course of action for a band that wants to completely circumvent the whole music industry process and do it themselves?"

Get your priorities right

[Timesprout]

Groupie model first, then business

Making money as a musician

[MyLongNickName]

Remember... information wants to be free. You have no right to earn money. Just provide all of your music. We will download it, and then tell you that if your music weren't crap, we'd pay for it.

Re:I would like to know

[peculiarmethod]

dress like KISS or Gwar, act angry.. throw in some weapons, sex toys and, believe me, they will not risk the consiquences of stealing something you might miss.

Re:take the contract

[Anonymous Coward]

Take the contract, get famous, then worry about rights.

.. Why is our music being used to advertise hemroid cream?

Re:I would like to know

[peculiarmethod]

if this works, and I'm not entirely sure this has been tested in too many courts.. you would most certainly have to leave the mail UNOPENED and I would keep them all in a safety deposit box away from your house for extra security (like fire, water, theft, tornado, ex-girlfriend, etc).

Re:take the contract

[beatljuice]

Yeah, and when standing at the crossroads, be sure to make a deal with the devil. You can always back out later... right?

Re:Get your priorities right

[notque]

Groupie model first, then business

Both of those questions are ill suited for Slashdot. What about Sci-Fi television show model?