Warning: Opinions below

Yeah, I’m going to cause myself no end of grief by saying what I really think. This really should not be an issue. But it always seems to end up being one. However, I’m tired of biting my tongue.

I was supposed to play a show at “Trax” today, but I’ve decided to pass. Anybody that knows me would realize I don’t cancel shows at the drop of a hat. I have real issues with this place. Now keep in mind, I’m not accusing them of being evil, or having bad intentions. I do not know the secret contents of people hearts. But the services they provide are… well, worthless.

For “X” amount of lindens, you get a booth that will play three songs, feature a graphic and give interested parties a note card with you bio/fee info. I would imagine it works, but it seems to be an “In-world” version of a MySpace page. Even if the booth only cost 1L$ per year… it would still be less cost effective then a MySpace page. You can also host more songs on MySpace, post more graphics and add friends and stuff.

Personally, I have both a MySpace page and my own website. I find my website offers me far more options then anything Trax might offer. Of course, some might point out they have to go out of world to get my information, but what is important? Maintaining the in world experience or getting the information? If the venue owner prizes the sparse Trax booth information over the more complete representation of my website, they probably aren’t the kind of venue operator I want to be working for.

A music management type assures me that Trax is the wave of the future. But I think she is wrong, at least in my case. She claims, “Everybody is going to be doing it (meaning Trax)”, and about that she may be right. But I have never seen myself as part of “Everybody”. What I is do is singular and unique. I’m the only person doing what I do. I don’t need to be in a booth next to some lounge singer. Lounge singers need to compete, but I have no competition. You either want Zorch or you want anybody else.

Trax also offers a SLCD (Second life compact disk) service. Once again, what is the point? They seem quite impressed if you own a plot of land you can play the music from some sort of device. But I don’t own land, and I don’t see being able to stream music to you own property as a big deal. If you don’t own property, and a lot of people don’t. it downloads the files to your computer, where you can listen to them or burn them to a CD and all kinds of nifty crap. But you can do that with regular MP3 files anyway. I host MP3 downloads from my website, and I have a vendor in world that sells them. What do I need a SLCD for?

I see Trax fascination with doing things “In world” as nothing more then a gimmick. A well-groomed MySpace page is far more effective as far as promotion goes, and selling you own MP3 via any other avenue seems more cost effective.

I should in all fairness mention there is a veritable forest of booths will all kinds of musical acts featured already in place. Yes, it seems everybody is doing it. Everybody but me. I still think it’s stupid, worthless and the fact that so many are already involved just show that people don’t really think things through.

Why did I cancel the show? Standing in a place rife with iniquity makes me ill. Somebody is profiting off the stupidity or laziness of some so-called musicians. I don’t want to seem involved in anyway.

If anybody is pissed off about these comments, I warned you at the outset there were opinions.