The MySpace myth debunked

Download Podcast Print

August 2007

In this month's podcast, Mark Chadwick, lead vocalist and Jon Sevink, fiddler of the legendary band the Levellers, debunk the MySpace myth. With 20 years experience in the UK live music scene from Glastonbury to intimate acoustic shows, the Levellers have seen the music industry revolve from vinyl to digital and back again.

Despite confidently embracing digital technology they have stayed close to their core values. They argue that while gimmicks have always been around -- whether it's a stunt on TV or radio, a free digital download or even just giving away your next concert ticket with a bag of chips - there's no way a band can create something out of nothing.

Bands which have topped the charts via digital stunts such as the Sandi Thom viral or the Arctic Monkeys on MySpace will only survive if they have substance and real worth.

With their own MySpace page created by a fan, the Levellers argue that their festivals have always sold by word-of-mouth and social networking sites are just an extension of the same concept. Fans downloading their tracks for free doesn't faze them either as this just works out to free advertising for their festivals. The latest craze among teenagers to buy 12 inch Drum & bass vinyls after hearing the track first on the internet illustrates the point that the old media and new will continue to work together in a myriad of ways.

Help