Just a thought...

aphex should manufacture little musical toys. like music boxes. cant download them.

He must have made a ton from licensing SAW II, I think there wasn't a BBC show that didn't play some track from that album, even cooking shows.

  On 6/19/2013 at 12:57 AM, pierlu said:

It has occurred to me that one cannot make the money one used to make back in '01 by selling records. Moreover, nowadays, selling records it's just a way of promoting your live shows. So, what's the deal with releasing records? Aphex has such a huge credit that it's prolly more rewarding NOT releasing records cos people will go to live shows hoping to hear something new. So, I bet that we're not seeing new records soon by the man. He is always been good at marketing and, if you think about it, it's not the time to release records anymore. So, abandon ye hopes folks.

Cheers, p.

Quite a few artists right now are experimenting with artificial scarcity, as in limited edition vinyl releases, as with Analord. Considering how few people even have the means to play analogue media these days, I'm not convinced of this at all, at least not on its own, but it's what a few artists are trying. Reznor seems to have a more sensible approach, offering the whole spectrum between cheap digital downloads and expensive deluxe limited edition vinyl sets, and several options in between.

If you're thinking about applying this to yourself or any other new artists, however, you have to bear in mind that there's a big difference between artists such as Aphex Twin, Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails, who released popular material before the old model was disrupted by the Internet, and new artists who are vying for attention amongst countless others.

If you're interested in this sort of thing, you might want to read 1,000 True Fans.

  On 6/19/2013 at 11:30 AM, pierlu said:

one more thing... Rephlex opened a digital store just to sell its back catalogue. Not an update since 2010. It makes me think that they don't believe in digital sales either.

Yes, probably because they haven't sold that much, which in turn is probably because they stubbornly only sell digital downloads directly rather than selling them via iTunes, Bleep, and so on. There are plenty of casual Aphex Twin fans who haven't heard of his AFX alias, the Rephlex label or the Analord series, and it's not easy for them to stumble onto them.

But yes, you're probably right that the way he's currently selling his old music, he's not making enough for it to be worth it, and he probably has enough money in reserve that he doesn't have to release anything new. Annoyingly, like Prince and Vangelis, he also has a lot of apparently good unreleased music in reserve. This is frustrating, but there's not really much you can do.

How about placing Richards residence under Wikileaks' law?

I'm almost wondering whether the Rephlex digital store currently costs more to keep up and running than it brings money to his bank. Or he might share the webmaster with xltronic, or something.

I like to think that aphex is zelda, boc is metroid, squarepusher mario and autechre kirby. Since boc just released it should give ricky d a pretty good idea of where he stands in potential sales for 2Q 2013.

Just a thought.....

Richard will do what he damn well likes. Thats it really, in a nutshell. If he decides to bestow magical tricks from is magicians hat? Then he will do so. Until then best not get too worked up about it.

I was like you once....wondering.....thinking.....imagining. Now I fight fire with fire!!!

  On 6/20/2013 at 8:29 PM, beerwolf said:

Just a thought.....

 

Richard will do what he damn well likes. Thats it really, in a nutshell. If he decides to bestow magical tricks from is magicians hat? Then he will do so. Until then best not get too worked up about it.

 

I was like you once....wondering.....thinking.....imagining. Now I fight fire with fire!!!

If we all behave as though he'd never existed, Richard will return to us like an angry ginger God, demanding worship and tribute.

When the rhubears come for your first born, know that it is a small sacrifice for the return of our lord.

  On 6/20/2013 at 8:29 PM, beerwolf said:

I was like you once....wondering.....thinking.....imagining. Now I fight fire with fire!!!

Exactly, which is why I'm now sitting on lots of unreleased tracks of my own. But it's not as fun as you might imagine. Why anyone wouldn't want other people to hear their best music is beyond me.

Would be lovely if aphex put out some analogue computer or noise type of experimental tracks on bandcamp

but does he care about that

does he get disgusted every time he sees us on this forum saying these things?

who cares ;-)

MGMT is releasing a new album sometime soon, supposedly inspired by Aphex Twin. I'm extremely excited for my part.

If Richard has anything ready to release he should do that in the next year or so, to ride the wave of attention that statement has created.

chunky why do you have a nazi flag as your avatar? get rid of that shit.

  On 6/25/2013 at 9:27 PM, Verdant Hickies said:

MGMT is releasing a new album sometime soon, supposedly inspired by Aphex Twin. I'm extremely excited for my part.

If Richard has anything ready to release he should do that in the next year or so, to ride the wave of attention that statement has created.

 

 

chunky why do you have a nazi flag as your avatar? get rid of that shit.

I am at least curious about this. I think for what they are MGMT have a certain amount of credibility. They released a very poppy consumable album, and then turned around and released something much different. Sort of unexpected in this day and age. Although I didn't listen to it thoroughly I did catch a couple tracks from it, and thought it was decent. They definitely made a conscious decision not to milk their fame and went on to produce what they wanted to. I respect them for that, and I will be interested to hear what their perspective is musically.

Afx is waiting for us all to be silent and then he (may) release.. Ssshhhhh...

Like a little timid hummingbird- you have to be quiet and still and it may come close.. Otherwise or itll scurry away

He'll probably sneak out of his hiding-place when I don't even care anymore because I'm one of those old people that suddenly lose their taste in everything.

I've waited for so long that it's beyond the point of anger, I'm just losing my excitement.

Taking his age into consideration Richard is probably not even interested in releasing something anymore. He's one of those authors that think they've said everything and just remain silent until you casually find out 20 years later that they're dead, but AFX's talent isn't even close to being exhausted and it's beyond fucking time that the fat-ass realizes that.

Are you the guy that wrote him death threats?

  On 6/23/2013 at 6:04 AM, chunky said:

Would be lovely if aphex put out some analogue computer or noise type of experimental tracks on bandcamp

but does he care about that

does he get disgusted every time he sees us on this forum saying these things?

who cares ;-)

totally, i wish he would upload his experimental unlistenable stuff. not fit for sale, etc.. I figure he would he just doesnt care enough to gather it together. Or, he doesnt want to tarnish the good aphex name with diversions..or, who knows.

kinda off topic but.... why did RDJ sell his Yamaha CS5 with the SAW2 liner notes scribbled on?

He can't be that strapped for cash to sell it for only £100-200?

http://musicthing.blogspot.co.uk/2006/03/aphex-twin-sleevenotes-scrawled-on.html

  On 6/28/2013 at 12:07 PM, B1000 said:

kinda off topic but.... why did RDJ sell his Yamaha CS5 with the SAW2 liner notes scribbled on?

 

He can't be that strapped for cash to sell it for only £100-200?

 

http://musicthing.blogspot.co.uk/2006/03/aphex-twin-sleevenotes-scrawled-on.html

oops just found out it sold for $1200 (£780). but why sell it :(

  On 6/28/2013 at 12:24 PM, B1000 said:

 

  On 6/28/2013 at 12:07 PM, B1000 said:

kinda off topic but.... why did RDJ sell his Yamaha CS5 with the SAW2 liner notes scribbled on?

 

He can't be that strapped for cash to sell it for only £100-200?

 

http://musicthing.blogspot.co.uk/2006/03/aphex-twin-sleevenotes-scrawled-on.html

 

oops just found out it sold for $1200 (£780). but why sell it :(

 

I think your fist questions still stands though.

He can't be that strapped for cash to sell it for only £X?

I believe the reason to sell something on VEMIA rather than eBay is because they do half the work for you, so it's less hassle for the seller, even if less people use it. I could be wrong though, the awkwardness of their website put me off signing up or anything... So if that's the motivation for someone using that particular auction site, then that kind of fits with not noticing or at least not caring that you left some liner notes on a synth that you're having someone auction off for you. He was probably just clearing out space, getting rid of the deadwood synths, and didn't want the hassle of advertising it to fans or anything.

Contrast with Nine Inch Nails auctioning off their signed guitars they toured with, and the like. They were playing up the angle of them being signed memorabilia, rather than just equipment.

  On 6/20/2013 at 5:38 PM, Claudius t Ansuulim said:

I like to think that aphex is zelda, boc is metroid, squarepusher mario and autechre kirby. Since boc just released it should give ricky d a pretty good idea of where he stands in potential sales for 2Q 2013.

I think you have that a bit wrong. Aphex Twin is F-Zero, Nintendo won't make another one because 'I think where I struggle is that I don’t really have a good idea for what’s new that we could bring to F-Zero that would really turn it into a great game again'. It's been 10 years since the last one and it still remains one of the best futuristic racers ever. They're happy to avoid being creative because relying on formulaic remakes and selling hardware makes them money.

Autechre is Zelda, you always know they'll be another released within a 5 year period, and that it will be at least good and subtly inventive, even if you disagree with the direction it's gone in, and also like Autechre you could argue that it was last really special with Wind Waker (Untilted) 10 (8) years ago.

aphex twin = doom

squarepusher = unreal tournament

autechre = call of duty

afx= papa johns

squarepusher= dominos

autechre= pizza hut

boc= little ceasars

clark= subway

ceephex acid crew= chipotle

plaid= wendys

luke vibert= mcdonalds

u-ziq= taco bell

Found this old interview, didn't seem to find it linked elsewhere on watmm.

There's a point where he says that he has enough money that he doesn't need to release music anymore. You can never be too sure with aphex quotes, but in some ways it ringed with what I wrote in the starting post.

""The delay is usually just 'cause I'm lazy," he says. "I have enough cash now so I don't need to release music any more. I never really wanted to release records; it was mates around me saying, 'C'mon, you've got to release this!'"

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/08/1073437402717.html

  On 2/3/2014 at 6:38 PM, pierlu said:

Found this old interview, didn't seem to find it linked elsewhere on watmm.

There's a point where he says that he has enough money that he doesn't need to release music anymore. You can never be too sure with aphex quotes, but in some ways it ringed with what I wrote in the starting post.

 

""The delay is usually just 'cause I'm lazy," he says. "I have enough cash now so I don't need to release music any more. I never really wanted to release records; it was mates around me saying, 'C'mon, you've got to release this!'"

 

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/08/1073437402717.html

The true horror of this quote is that there may well be many other people making equally good music that really never have released any of it, so we've never heard of them.

ten year anniversary of that interview. Back when there were interviews. Also, I'm sure there aren't people out there with awesome music that aren't releasing it. Well unless they were loaded. Like he said, 'house and gear'. House and Gear". He also said that he's of two minds about the matter, one is on the house the other is on the gear. heh E|-;