100% Independent Facebook

Quick – what do you think of when you hear ‘100% Independent’? I mean, besides thinking that it quite frankly sounds pretty ridiculous. For years now it’s been the catchphrase of the Deep Elm record label – a label that I’ve often enjoyed over the years (and which I just found out is ‘digital only’, no CDs…hmmm I think I’ve got another article). Bands like White Octave, Appleseed Cast, and Benton Falls (just to name a few) have all released albums through them, and even though I haven’t browsed through their collection of late, I’m sure they still have some solid bands on there. However, I’ve always found the ‘100% Independent’ thing to be a little grating and obnoxious. I mean, any time you have to loudly shout ‘look at how (insert trait here) we are!’ aren’t you trying just a little bit too hard? Why can’t you just be what you are, and let your listeners and fans form their own opinions, you know, independently?

I’m not focusing so much on that – as I’ve said, I’ve always been a fan of the label and the good to awesome bands and albums they support and sell. Not to mention they often give away free downloads of compilations and albums. I’m not going to get into how ridiculous even the ‘independent’ label can be. I get what their trying to say, and I appreciate it. Rather, it’s the juxtaposition of that label and a little marketing they’ve started doing lately.


Because I’ve purchased albums from them in the past, I’m on their e-mailing list. I usually don’t mind these emails, as I do like to keep up with what their new releases are, and sometimes snag the sweet free downloads. I’ll browse them and then just delete them. Recently, I saw a great offer:

Friends of Deep Elm:
We're giving away a F R E E Album every week for the rest of 2011,

Sweet! A free album a week! Tell me how I can get this goodness! I know you guys are all about power to the people, keeping yourselves out of the corporate fray! You’ll probably let me download it direc-

but in order to get them you have to LIKE our Facebook Fan Page located at:
http://on.fb.me/deepelm You will then get a message on you wall every time we post another comp album.

Albums are given away All Day on Wednesdays Only during Eastern Standard Time (EST). Links will NOT be posted on our Twitter account or on our News page, as this is a special program for Facebook Fans only.


What? Seriously, Deep Elm? I hate Facebook, but that is neither here nor there. Let’s think about this for a second. Deep Elm...





...and the most popular social networking site on the Internet! How is Facebook ‘independent’? How is it not ‘mainstream’? How is releasing free music ONLY on Facebook ‘independent’ AT ALL?

So what you’re telling me, Deep Elm, is that in order to get a free album of your viciously ‘independent’ music a week, I have to jump off the bridge with everyone else and join Facebook? So, I have to follow the crowd in order to be ‘100% Independent’?

I don’t know what else to say. I wouldn’t even have such a problem with it if they didn’t trumpet their independence so loudly and in-your-face. The least they could do is offer the free album to all of their fans, not just the Facebook ones. I mean, I get the fact that Facebook is the new media (at least, for now), and while I might not like it I realize that companies are using it to build support. Fine. Going back to the question at the beginning though, when you hear ‘100% Independent’, do you think Facebook?

Maybe Deep Elm could try doing something oh I don’t know, independent, and not penalize their fans who want to actually stay that way.


-Kepler