Brooklyn dream-poppers DIIV are among the many, many buzzed-about bands playing about 52 shows apiece in Austin this week for SXSW. And they’re probably not the only ones who aren’t happy about this experience. They are, however, probably the most prominent band to come out publicly this year and say how much they hate it, while it’s still going on. Here’s what frontman Zachary Cole Smith posted on Tumblr:
Hi Austin. Fuck SXSW. There… I said it.
Here, the music comes last. 5 minute set-up, no sound check, 15 minute set. The “music” element is all a front, it’s the first thing to be compromised. Corporate money everywhere but in the hands of the artists, at what is really just a glorified corporate networking party. Drunk corporate goons and other industry vampires and cocaine. Everyone is drunk, being cool. “Official” bureaucracy and all their mindless rules. Branding, branding, branding. It’s bullshit… sorry.
-Cole
(via DIIV)
A couple of things here. First: This is an absolutely defensible case to make. Bands don’t magically find huge new audiences from playing SXSW, and the madcap grind of playing all those shows has to be tough on them. There’s a very real chance that Smith is just writing what tons of other bands are thinking. Second: DIIV didn’t necessarily have to play SXSW, and Smith, who doesn’t live in a vacuum, presumably had a pretty good idea what he was getting himself into. That doesn’t invalidate his point, but it might complicate it. I hope he starts having a better time down here, anyway. I’m having fun, but I don’t have to haul equipment anywhere. If Smith gets a moment, I suggest he locate the Korean taco truck; it has a way of improving your day.
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dumbass, you’re completely missing the point. how is a band supposed to gain press when they can’t sound check and give a halfway decent show to the people? if it’s all rushed there is no possibility for a band to express their art the way they want it heard…and they become a part of a COG in a money-making scheme.
Jason, it’s awful. You know, they don’t even allow opossum on stage? How is my band gonna get any press if we’re not allowed at our own set?? I’m telling you, he’s got a point.
Opossum out.
Korean tacos? What a strange city.
Texas.
Riggins
We have some here in Portland too. they’re delicious.
Chi’lantro, best food truck ever. Better food than most established restaurants even. Ate a kimchi tofu burger there last night that even impressed my meat-eating gf.
ChiLantro is Delicious
Gee thanks for pointing that out to us. He says “sorry” at the end, What’s he sorry about?
sorry to Coke for their delicious caramel cola beverage, sorry to Taco Bell for the bitchin’ “Live Mas” tagline, and sorry to Red Bull/Doritos for obvious reasons.
i think its the equivalent of telling someone you hate them and saying “lol” at the end of it
Some artists care about how they sound and want to be treated like human beings! I get what he’s saying. Who would want to play a show on a stage that looks like a giant Dorritos vending machine and not get paid a single penny for it? There is an enormous amount of money being spent at SXSW and rarely do artists get paid for these gigs. I love SXSW (amazing artists, BBQ, tacos, free beer everywhere), but I totally feel what he’s saying. I’d love to see at least some of the $800+ I spend on a music badge trickling down to the artists.
I had no idea SXSW cost that much to attend. I’ve been dreaming of going for years but after reading up on prices and learning that artists see little to no of that enormous cost just depresses me.
DIIV actually played SXSW last year, so yes, they should have a good idea of what they were getting themselves into. I don’t know why he was so surprised.
But to hop on board with similar sentiments as Mr. Z. Cole Smith, I’ll go one step further in saying that SXSW coverage has also helped myself reflect how pointless operating a DIY music blog is. Ultimately, efforts by all of us small time DIY writers championing rising bands go to complete waste this week. Like, I spend all last year talking up a band, and then along comes some big brand writer who comes out and admits they slept on a punk band, just discovered them at SXSW, and are now their biggest fan boy / girl. Who gets all the applause in RTs and upvotes on that? Not the small DIY writer out there who took the early step in covering the music. So then we have to find new tiny bands to cover, because the big brand name has taken ownership of the musicians you propped up and helped differentiate you from the pack.
Musicians can whine all they want about not getting paid, but at least they’re getting press and people talking about them. Me? I’m at the bottom of the food chain, do this for the love of it, and getting no love back. That said…
I think these issues are connected but don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
I will say this, it is simultaneously hugely gratifying and endlessly infuriating that Frank Ocean has blown up. Not to toot my own horn, but I was on Frank before p4k was on Frank.
TOOOOT TOOOOT
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There ought to be a Deconstruction of SXSW from the outsider’s perspective — Bands / writers who didn’t wind up in Austin because they couldn’t for one reason or another. People figuring out how to use the filter of their tweet feed for the first time ever because it’s suddenly taken on the self-important banality of a facebook news feed dominated by boring thoughts and photo uploads. Those in Austin currently thinks the world revolves around them. The world outside thinks nothing that’s happening in Austin is actually all that important, safe for a few YouTube video uploads of new songs being debuted or Foxygen having a meltdown.
Not going for a challenge here, just asking honestly: With all the crazy internets the youth is so into, everyone can hear or discover any artist at any moment. That being said, if everyone has the capability to discover any artist at anytime, can anyone really be proud of themselves for “discovering” someone? why would it be frustrating that someone blows up?
It’s not really that. It’s how some writers make it seem like they found a band, and that since they found the band, it’s now okay for the world to follow their lead and like them, too. There’s a difference between merely acknowledging a good band and voicing your opinion in a way where your opinion only has value.
…I’ve decided to go back to this. I no longer want to fail balancing between being perceived as “just a music fan with a blog” by writers in spaces such as this and “someone who wants to write about music, and is more than just a casual listener” by the rest of you.
The time between when Amrit prodded this name to come out and reveal its identity as a DIY blogger and the present, in which I receive e-mails from Stereogum and Pitchfork writers politely criticizing me about what I am doing “wrong” and what they are doing “right” has been pretty miserable. I’ve surpassed having fun with my writing, but lack fulfillment because — well, because of what Cole says above about the surrounding sites’ characters (“Drunk corporate goons and other industry vampires and cocaine. Everyone is drunk, being cool.”) kind of bullying the ones beneath them.
Indie music writing is like the equivalent of high school, except the jocks and cheerleaders wear glasses, hardly work out and use bigger words.
Round up the conclave, because the _ has stepped down from his music papal pulpit in attempt to return to normalcy.
i support theduchessofmichael_
can i get this on an armband?
live_strong
I love you <3
What’s also kind of karmic is reading all of the writers on these big sites talking about how worn, torn and mentally exhausted they are from SXSW coverage, and how they’re literally about to break down. I guess I wasn’t given that same privilege when covering Coachella (for free with no swag or VIP or press passes in tow) for a certain site seeing that I am not on the same level as them.
And you didn’t even deal with ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT degree temps.
Fuck a press pass. All these Yankees can’t handle some Midwest humidity. Pffffft.
Exactly.
I’m pretty banged up mentally about how I fit in with the music I listen to, writing about it, its people culture and the rest of you at this moment, rj. I might be taking everything too seriously today, but with April coming up, it feels like the one year anniversary since I had all my credibility taken away from me.
Indie and punk music culture is so weird. It’s supposed to be a haven for all the kids who didn’t fit in with the “cool” kids or the kids who just accepted whatever the media handed them, but I feel even more outside than that — Like, not even accepted by the sub-culture.
Been going off the rails more so with my relationship with music and writing these past few days — SXSW of course bringing that about.
Bah.
On da inverse though man I love you, I love that you take things so seriously and are so honest and passionate as much as to wring out your personal anguish for completely strangers with no remorse, talk about fucking punk!
At least you are vocal about everything, I hide my opinions (mostly in fear of reprisal, but often because it doesn’t matter) I don’t comment on this site that much other than to post the occasional joke or (sorta, I hope) insightful emotional response of my reaction to a particular work that has impacted me and that’s my ultimate relationship to music, emotional. I value that over anything and I think that’s what you have lost. I understand the need to be accepted, but none of that matters (well it doesn’t matter to me, though I know it does to you) because I was rejected by people all my life, of all cultures, whether cool or not, and I took on their artifacts to appeal to them, to seem cool (did I like the music, maybe) but then I was rejected anyway which drove me into my room, into solidarity ultimately to discover youtube and allmusic finding music similar to the music the kids I thought were cool listened to which lead me to find My Bloody Valentine. I had no social drive to my enjoyment of music when In the most voracious stage of my music discovery, I had but two forces pushing me, what does this make me think (about my life etc.) and what does this make me feel (about my life etc.) how does this music reflect and augment my life (positively and negatively, truthfully and hyperbolically)
I’m not sure what I’m trying to say (I’m not a very focused writer… lol) other than maybe you need to step back and think about your relationship with the product you have built your life around and how you are abusing that relationship to your own means, putting it on a pedestal to work for you, devaluating rather than actually connecting with it.
Remove yourself from culture (because that doesn’t matter) and social forces (because those matter) and scenes and cool kids (and uncool kids, who run the blogs now, who put in the same social stratification they were ostracized in, back into the scene) and just write because you enjoy the music and you feel you have something personal to say.
Then again I’m a weirdo and my personal solution does not really work for anyone (as I learned in an argument I had recently, when I was called “too reductionist”)
I really wanted to say something better. Mike just be cool maybe your new all consuming hobby can be meditation? lol Idk
<3 Sloth
Thanks, slothy. I needed that. And you’re on to something with everything you said, because I was just reminiscing about how music used to be be something “personal” to me before all of this, in that I wouldn’t even want to talk about it in the same way people don’t talk religion and politics, because they are my beliefs. When you throw your beliefs out there, you put yourself at risk of having everyone come down on you for them because they want to own them as well or argue with you because they dislike them. For the past three years, all of my feelings about music have been laid out there in the open, and that personal relationship with music has deteriorated to some extent in an embattled sense.
<3
I agree. And I also think sites like stereogum actually make it much harder to talk about the music I love in person. Here on these boards there’s a certain baseline level of understanding that allows you to circumvent chunks of explanation and defensiveness.
Like sometime I’ll be out with a friend and start talking about a song that’s playing in the bar and they’re smiling politely like I do this all the time and they know I’ll just be done soon.
But I also don’t think these sites have made my experience of LOVING music any different. I still get excited about finding new music because a) Yeah, it makes me feel really cool to have a finger on the pulse, and b) The experience of putting on a new song and just immediately going “yes. this is it, this is why I do this” — there’s something so pure about that moment. And the fact that I can share it with like-minded people is what makes me think Stereogum and places like it are worthwhile.
This thread got incredibly personal and meaningful real quick! Lots of talk about things I wanted to address about Stereogum, but rather, I should get this out in the open.
Michael_, I’m really, truly sorry about what happened last year. I hate to beat it to death, but in hindsight my involvement in the whole ordeal seems magnified. If I could take it back? I’d have gone to Coachella and made a comment about it.
I think what happened was you went to Coachella like it was your job. Given your background in blogging and all the hard work you’ve done YOURSELF to put your views (very awesome views) on music out there in hopes of becoming a “go-to” voice in the community… Hell, you DID become a go-to voice in THIS community… Everyone around here respects your opinion if they know what is good in music criticism. But what I didn’t realize at the time was how real and fleshed out this dream was to you. I misinterpreted your hard work as something fun to do. A hobby even. I saw your work and instantly trivialized it by saying to myself, “I could do that. I can do that. I want to do that. I will do that.”
Please know that it was NEVER personal. Your initial article was an inspiration to me. I always wanted to write about a festival, but never really wanted to write about music as a full-time profession. I see now how my approach depreciated all the work you put into your piece. I see it clearly.
So if you’re really leaving for good, which I hope you’re not, I’d be remiss if you left thinking I was still the bad guy. We all need breaks from community Web sites. They can become too important and the body needs reminders that it IS corporeal and exists in real time, not Internet “forever time”. That aspect tends to make things on the Internet seem WAAYYY too important.
So seriously. Please God take this as so: I’m sorry Michael_. Never meant for it to go down like it did. The world is vicious in its lack of objectivity. People see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. People who have done “wrong” or “bad” in somebody’s mind will remain “wrong” or “bad” even when they’re being right and good. That’s not just the Internet, that’s the world. Ask Kanye West.
<3 rjc a/k/a stereogum's taylor swift
Michael_ the gum luvs U!!!
I tend to often side with the artists when artists are whining about something, but this is some bullshit. If you feel so strongly about the vacuous nature of SXSW, don’t play it. There are literally thousands of bands that would be happy to have ” 5 minute set-up, no sound check, 15 minute set” at one of the most high-profile music events on the planet.
on the moola, I would kill for that shit. Bringing the keys to the center stage is the dream.
It wasn’t always this way. Ten years ago it was a very pleasant experience. Then something happened (popularity?, hipness?) It became preening & crowded. His points are valid. But self-righteously complaining about something that is your choice seems an awful lot like what he is complaining about: Branding & networking.
(Check out Gueros Taco Bar on South Congress)
playing that many shows is no easy feat. On the other hand i saw them play a ralph lauren sponsored show in brooklyn just a couple months ago. the corporate branding isn’t just in austin…
It doesn’t really matter… sxsw as a music festival is winding down anyway. Bands have started to realize that it does nothing for them, and the record labels still standing sure don’t need a festival to find new artists to sign (there’s this thing called the internet….) On the other hand, the sxsw interactive festival seems to really be taking off- I imagine eventually they’ll switch over to a tech festival with some music and films thrown in.
Kurt Cobain would have said something better.
So true. Cole does a decent Kurt impression, though.
Wow – I can’t believe the inanity of these comments. A band should be able to say “go fuck yourself” to our corporate overlords without getting a bunch of flack for it (which is what DIIV were essentially saying right?)
guess that’s why most bands just stay quiet and keep hoping to land as many corporate syncs as possible – which they totally should be hoping for – but fuck, can’t a band want to bite the hand that feeds them?
The problem isn’t what is being said rather than who is saying it…
I said this earlier today but to me this reads as false coming from him, it’s a PR move to appeal to all the kids listening to him saying to themselves “Yeah! He’s fucking punk, calling them out.” He’s been to SXSW before and didn’t say anything then, something like this needs to be said (of the growing unfair transaction between musicians and industry; musicians and press; press and audience; musicians and audience and the sponsors with the money corralling the whole show) but not by someone who has shelled himself out for the PR scene game, his PR company proudly expounds themselves as taking an unknown and making them a critical darling, if that isn’t a cause to doubt his every move and word (as false) I don’t know what is…
Perhaps it would be more helpful to celebrate the idea that a festival that promotes alternative music/movies/television can reach such popularity. And if you are truly ideologically opposed to corporate sponsorship, there are plenty of places to play that aren’t sponsored by corporations. Sure, you won’t have as much exposure or money, but you won’t also have to worry about slogans and people that are wearing suits, I guess.
Same as CMJ on the east coast, people go there to see as many bands as possible, and have fun doing it. It’s no surprise that the sets are short, because there’s SO MUCH to do with only a so many days to do it.
The only issue I have is the inclusion of the word “sorry” at the end of his thought rant. If that’s what you think, OWN IT. There is no need to apologize. Yes, his statement is complicated a bit by the fact that he’s still there being part of it. But he’ll have plenty of time to expound upon the meaning and intent of his statement in the days to come. Adding “sorry” at the end, A) invalidates the power of the statement, and B) allows for a weak opened door explanation in the future. OWN IT. Don’t be “sorry”.
okay, FUCK sxsw. all of you, get your shit, get your cut off jorts, get your cheap day glo sunglasses, get your tight jeans and angry faces, and go home! this festival turns into a bigger beast every year, and this year was one of the worst versions of this festival i’ve had to wander through. i saw a 15 minute foxygen set! 15 minutes!
TIME TO GO.
Wait… that’s a picture of a guy?
Seriously, if any of you were here for SXSW 2013, you might have a better perspective. This might be a big assumption but seeing as this a music website, I think we can all agree that one would think a music festival would put an emphasis on sound quality and getting levels on the soundboard that make it a bearable auditory experience. Theres a difference between the beautiful noise of something like MBV and the overbearing noise of poorly mixed bands getting fucked over at every venue. Too many closing bands have been cut off early for having started late, regardless of whether earlier bands delayed their set. Ive seen 45-minute sets cut down to 4 songs. The only venues with decent sound mixing are the ones with huge corporate sponsorship, like live radio broadcasting or podcasting. It just seems sad that so much money pours into the festival and it can’t be directed towards what actually matters – insuring quality music at every venue for the sake of what used to be a MUSIC festival. Its sad that its become little more than overpacked venues with drunk spring-breakers and corporate execs who are clueless about half the bands they see.
i just want to say, i’m thankful for all the thoughtful comments on here (I don’t usually read the stereogum website) and thread is really peppered with some great consideration: but love-fest aside, I have a logistical question – where is “all this money” getting PUMPED into? like, [literally]where is it going? does anyone have a clue ?
free things. Free stuff is everywhere during south by. Same with advertising too. The city is packed with posters to the brim.
If u can’t pull off a decent show with a quick setup and line check then u need to make way for the countless bands who can. Don’t u dare think for a second u are punk rock.
SXSW is a cluster fuck, duh. Figure out how to make the most of it or don’t go and keep your mouth shut. You are embarrassing yourself.
That’s a guy?