#the runout

[1958fury]

My dear friend and cancer survivor (that still blows my mind to say) @mmelia talks about chemo and Barroness for the Runout

Chlorine and Wine: Connecting With Baroness Through Cancer

[allergicreactionsfm]

Thank you to the incomparable James Cassar for speaking with me and writing such a nice piece. I have been "out of the public eye" without PropertyOfZack since August, and it's nice to get an ego boost every once in a while. I'd love to write something for The Runout one day. I suggest you follow them.

[missmaryamhassan]

September 30, 2015 | by Bryne Yancey This is part of a recurring series of essays on social anxiety in punk. For more, click here. It was a pretty rough summer. A pretty rough year, really. I'll sp...

I love this post. It’s wonderfully written and really hits home with me. 

“Punk rock has ceased to be an escape for me. Hopefully not forever. I still love it, don’t get me wrong, I will always love it, but more and more, where in past years I would reach for a Lawrence Arms record or a memory of a show I attended, I’m now reaching for other stuff.”

[1958fury]

June 13, 2014by Paul Blest One of my favorite things to read on the Internet on a daily basis is the Self Defense Family Tumblr. The band has put out some of my favorite records of the last few yea...

This is a great read and Paul’s breakdown of what its like to pay to record and put out a record is on point (and also made me cry a little inside for that reason)

[propertyofzack]

The Runout launches Patreon drive

by Zack Zarrillo

The Runout, one of my favorite blogs, has launched their own Patreon drive not too unlike what PropertyOfZack did last month. Here’s what site founder, Bryne Yancey, said about the decision:

I was laid off from my day job at the beginning of 2015, a day job that essentially paid for The Runout to keep going; the site had no income, per se, so I used my own, like everyone tells you you’re supposed to do when you love something. I didn’t mind doing it, but given what my income was (small), it was far from a sustainable model. I knew that.

I really, really don’t want ads on The Runout. I’m guessing the majority of you don’t want them either. You know how everyone says the separation of church and state doesn’t really exist? Neither does the separation of advertising and publishing. I don’t want The Runout’s content to be influenced by ad partners. I’ve been in meetings with ad departments before where some, not all, but some editorial coverage was bargained over based on who was spending the most ad dollars that month. Even recognizing it as a necessary evil in that situation for keeping the lights on and everybody paid (I don’t know for sure, but I would guess that almost every magazine functions this way to some degree), it was routinely as soul-crushing as it sounds.

You can become a Patron here.

[propertyofzack]

All Shows Should Be Three Band Shows

Not all dreams can come true, but that doesn't stop us from daydreaming. Thus, The Runout’s All Shows Should Be Three Band Shows:

Assuming changeovers are 20 minutes each between bands, three band shows will have 40 minutes of changeover as opposed to an hour for four band shows, 80 minutes for five band shows or 100 minutes for six band shows. An hour or more is a long time to stand around, waiting for something to happen. That time can zap the energy right out of the room to the point where, by the time the headliner finally takes the stage, fans are more ready for it all to be over than they are ready to rock or mosh or stage dive or whatever. We’re living in an era in which attention spans are at an all-time low; efficiency is paramount.

[propertyofzack]

Stage Names Fade From Punk

[propertyofzack]

The Merch Gap: Why Band Merch Cheap. Why Band Merch Is Expensive.

The Runout ran a feature a few weeks or so ago titled The Merch Gap. It contains insight from bands and music related people regarding why prices of band merch vary so much between genre, venue, and more. Jesse Cannon and I also spoke about the topic on our most recent episode of Off The Record. Read the full piece here and a snippet below after the jump.

Now, because it’s 2014 and kids still don’t buy records (Where were you the day the new Tigers Jaw record leaked? Hopefully not on twitter or tumblr) and a lot of a band’s guarantee on tour goes to operating expenses like gas, van repairs, food, managers, tour managers, booking agents and publicists, merch is how they make their money. T-shirts, hoodies, koozies and yes, the occasional LP sold after the show are what keep the band on the road. But while these bands tend to not cross-pollinate, surely some fans have noticed that merch prices seem to vary wildly depending on the band, tour lineup, venue and other factors. Why is that? There’s also a price disparity from genre to genre: Most fans who attend metal or indie rock shows don’t seem to bat an eyelash at a $35 t-shirt or a $20 LP; meanwhile, a middling punk band wouldn’t dare charge more than $12-15 for a shirt or a record, lest they seem greedy. Presumably, heavy metal t-shirts and records cost roughly the same to produce as their punk counterparts. Why is there such a large price gap? “It seems like there’s something ingrained in the punk scene where people expect everything to be dirt cheap,” says Banquets guitarist/Black Numbers label owner Dave Frenson. “In metal or indie, especially with bigger bands, I think the average fan is more willing to accept the amount of middlemen involved and the costs associated with getting a band in front of them. Mastodon is a great example because they’ve always got amazing art that’s extremely tailored to their ‘brand’ on their shirts. Right now they’re selling a t-shirt with art by David Cook for $30. If I could afford to pay that dude to do a Banquets shirt, I’d be lucky to sell out of that design at $12.”