Now Playing: Metallica – Unforgiven.mp3
April 28, 2008 – 6:09 amI’m reading on Slashdot that Metallica has decided to make as much money as Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead. They’ve decided to bypass the record companies and market directly to their file sharing fans.
But nobody has forgotten that Metallica was the first major band to side with the record industry’s relentless persecution of the inevitable future, that Metallica’s fans were the first to be kicked down from grace, and that members of Metallica were the first to be quoted when the record industry wanted to demonstrate how disgusting music lovers were as they shared music and warmth between themselves.
At this point, it appears that Metallica has discovered not the light, but the green. Now that other major bands have carved gold off the market by sidestepping the record industry, Metallica turns directly to their previously disgusted file sharing fan, asking them to support Metallica’s living for the next release.
What Metallica is missing is that a customer won’t go back to the same place if an artist openly declares that the customer is persona non grata, disgusting, repulsive, thief and a parasite. It doesn’t build the trust relationship making you want to give more of your money to somebody. All transactions build on some kind of trust relationship, and Metallica has killed off the trust placed in them a long time ago.