Mixing the profitable way

 

Once again my car is in the shop, so I’m again listening to the radio in the pickup that I’m borrowing.  I heard 99x talking about NIN’s site, and that you could actually build your own remixes on it.  I thought it’d be a cheesy add drums here subtract voice here sort of deal, but after looking at NIN’s site, it looks like they actually have something very engaging for fans.  I listened to the remix one of the 99x DJs created, and it actually sounded decent enough to make me want to give it a shot (well, he did get a little wild with the cowbells and strings, but why not have a little fun with it).  According to the site, they will be having a place for people to upload the remixes and get fans further engaged.  I think it’s very cool that they set this up for their fans or just people interested in mixing (or have little experience but want to play).  I think it’s also a creative slant in the whole file sharing business…you are still encouraged to by the CD, but you can listen free and download the “layers” (not sure on the lingo for mixing) to a song free.  You can’t download the final, whole product free, but component pieces that enable play and interaction.  M&M let you create your own caricature of an M&M, Pepsi has its can challenge, but I haven’t known any mainstream (well, however you’d classify NIN, they’ve been around a while and are pretty well known) groups to approach sharing their music and engaging their fans this way.  And if this is not a new idea, well gosh darnit, I guess I’ve been living under a rock.