Hostage has got his first ever appearance in Germany / Berlin this saturday. Be there. And read this. I know it's long, but it's worth reading, no joke.His tunes are all over the blogs and all over the blogs only. Hostage records, Hostage releases? Nope. Working his ass off during the week for some corporation Alan gives his music away for free: "Mash up the speaker", "Roll on", "Snake Charmer". Honestly, if I produced these tunes I would have tried to sell them. These tunes are great and better than 99% of the stuff pressed on vinyl last month. So why not sell them? I had to ask him and this is what he says:
"There are many factors which mean that I give tracks away for free. I am very busy with a 9-5 day job, and I cannot, and do not want to dedicate my spare time to dealing with releases. I've done this before, it's boring and labourious. There's very little financial incentive for me to do it either. Any money I make from music I feel I should make by my shows where I can play the music I have given away, often for free, out to the people, who will perhaps have therefore heard it and be familair with it more often because it was free, and if they like it and want to offer money for this music they can do so in the way of turning up and dancing to it: afterall that's what it's designed for! I often find that the kind of music I write is very time senstive too in terms of current trends, I'm not writing timeless classics, I'm writing dancefloor zeitgheists which are primarily for my DJ sets which when I'm done playing them, or want others to play them too, give them away.
If I was to wait for them to be released by normal channels I fear they would become stale and dated by the time all the buggering about that is involved with a release takes. Maybe I don't value my music enough, maybe so much of it often contains a sample that in order to obtain sample clearance would be such a hassle that it's not worth releasing it through the normal channels. I am much more into playing shows! Finally, and this is a bit of a strange one but I'd be a total hyprocite if I was to demand payment for all my tunes as to be honest I get a fair amount of the music I listen to either free or illegally. Therefore this is my personal justification and a way of purifying my soul of all piracy sins. :P
But: I'll now go on to be a hypocritical hyprocrite as I do have some proper releases as I have been advised that for me to be taken seriously as a proper artist it is important to have proper releases: Depending on which way the wind is blowing I sometimes agree and disagree with this, however at the moment I have a remix out on SIC records. It's a remix of Da Bleep by 2's Company and it's available on Juno and many other international record shops on 12". Forthcoming I also have my remix of Tommie Sunshine's "Limit of your Mind" which will be released very shortly on Alphabet City and a remix of On Snap!! "High Top Fade" which will be released on Sweat it out Records (Australia). Full details of this forthcoming releases are on my blog on my myspace as the most recent entry.
Also forthcoming is my remix of The Japaneese Popstars "Rise of Ulysees" which will be released on Gung Ho! Records. Lastly, Roccodisco #1 should be out sometime soon, but I've been saying that for a long time now, but it's been mastered and the 4 track sampler is ready to go, but I know the Roccoboys are having trouble with distribution. It's an area I know not much about but...hold tight.. It should also be noted thatI had my first 12" single out 10 years ago and it sold 1600 copies, but it's a track I'd rather forget about!!"
I'd say forget the last chapter about his forthcoming releases, because after reading all this you know you will have to support this man at one of his shows. That's what you owe him for downloading all his stuff. And your sweat on the dancefloor will be the currency you pay him in. So don't be a blockhead this weekend. It's party mayhem as there's the Berlin Battery Party at Picknick this Friday and:
On Saturday you should witness the first ever appearance of scotsman Hostage in Germany at Birthday Party (Maria). For all those who still think they don't owe Hostage nothing, I'll post a brand new tune by the man in an exclusive Re-Edit I've done today. Free of charge, but everybody who downloads this will have to support Hostage this saturday. If you can't make it to Maria in Berlin on saturday this track is not for you! All about Hostage and the Birthday Party line up this saturday here:
www.myspace.com/hostage
www.birthdaypartyberlin.com
Hostage - Blockhead (MALENTE Re-Edit).mp3
