ASMW FA – MC Lars

“I want to be someone who people recognize and want to come to see, but stayed true to their art and message through their whole career. I want to be able to tour the world and play sold out shows. I’d love to have some mainstream exposure to subversively bring my ideas into the popular eye, as long as I don’t have to compromise what I’m doing for the sake of popularity. I want to work with more artists that I admire and be known for having one of the most fun live touring shows that has ever hit the road. I’d like to die having put out one of the most original greatest hits albums in the history of the popular music. That would be awesome.”

I said this back in 2005 when I was finishing my record the Graduate. My new album This Gigantic Robot Kills continues this story and journey.

In the past few years, I’ve played tours in Japan, Australia, England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Canada and America. I’ve done talks at schools about literature, hip-hop, and poster-modern culture. I’ve done interviews with Rolling Stone, MTV and SPIN about my new genre of music, post-punk laptop rap. I’ve been interviewed for three documentaries on underground hip-hop and Interent culture.

Basically, I’ve shown that having a smart business sense and loving hip-hop and being myself can make any DIY hip-hop artist successful. I create art I believe in, spend time with people I care about, and travelled the world.

This is just the beginning. Thank you music revolution.

Here is what Greek philosophers would say about this cultural evolution:

Consumer: I don’t buy CDs anymore.

MC Socrates: Really? Not even at shows?

Consumer: Well, maybe at shows if someone I go with is friends with the band or opening band, and they’re sitting at their merch booth looking sad and tell me they need money for gas or something. And if the CD comes with a free shirt. Otherwise, that form of media is pretty dead.

MC Socrates: What about iTunes? We recoup faster through digital retail than physical retail because there’s no overhead.

Consumer: Maybe I’ll buy a CD from iTunes if I can’t find it on the torrent sites. But that’s kind of weird, right? I want DRM-free music.

MC Socrates: But iTunes is DRM-free nowdays.

Consumer: What? When did that happen? So I can buy songs and send them to friends on iChat?

MC Socrates: Basically. But you should tell them to buy the music too because I have to pay for my health insurance and rent.

Consumer: Shouldn’t you get another job for that? The music business isn’t really sustainable.

MC Socrates: But I believe in my art. If an artist wants to make a go at it, technology allows them to reach more people than ever before.

Consumer: Take a number dude. There are a million other idealistic DIY artists with the same approach who are all competing for my attention. Why should I care about what you have to say, let alone pay for it? Plus, some of the other bands even have things like marketing budgets, so good luck.

MC Socrates: I believe in it! It’s amazing and punk rock that I do this all on my own. My marketing budget goes into my $5 footlongs at Subway, so I can be on stage and pour my heart out into the microphone.

Consumer: Is that why your vocals were so low in the house mix? I knew something was interfering with your levels.

MC Socrates: I’m just trying to make a living.

Consumer: So is the dude hustling his CDs in front of the record store or outside of concerts.

MC Socrates: I mean, it works, that’s how Ludacris got big. He sold like 100,00 records out of his car and then the major labels signed him.

Consumer: Why are you so obsessed with stuff like that? Who cares about the business? Make art!

MC Socrates: I do. But I need to trust the fan base to help me sustain myself financially which is why we’re having this dialogue

Consumer: We always support you bro! We come to your shows sometimes if we remember to check your Myspace and see when you’re playing.

MC Socrates: Will you buy the next album if it’s killer?

Consumer: Maybe, can I get a free shirt too? I don’t buy CDs anymore, unless you really need gas money or something.

MC Socrates: I’ll give you a CD if we can crash on your floor tonight. It’s just me, four other dudes, and the support act.

Consumer: Um… let me check with my friends. (comes back) Can a few of you sleep in the van? Our studio apartment is pretty small, we can have like two or three of you. One of you is going to have to sleep in Michelle’s room and she’s dealing with a breakup and depression because she can’t get into the law school she wants to go to. If you wear earplugs you won’t hear her crying.

MC Socrates: We’ll put the opening band in her room. They’ll keep things Platonic.

-lars

PO Box 469 Carmel Valley, CA 93924

Links: Amie Street, MC Lars, Horris Records, MySpace, Facebook