My Response to Illumina

GlennCase · Post by **GlennCase** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:17 pm

Hello there,

Thank you for taking the time to listen to "Glutton". It's great that you enjoyed it.

Forgive me for being a bit skeptical, but admittedly, I am. Any respectable artist should, and would be leery when you consider the <a href="http://www.negativland.com/albini.html">music industry horror stories that are out there.</a>

<a href="http://cdbaby.org/stories/07/07/26/3535 ... l">Threads such as this one</a> do little to ease my concerns. Whether Illumina is the real deal or not, you've gained the reputation of being a scam, and in some ways that's just as bad.

As amazing as this may sound, I have become content with the idea of continuing to make music for the sake of the music itself. I don't expect to get rich or famous from my songs any time soon, and the quality of my music will likely benefit from this. As far as my career is concerned, there are few things that sound less appealing to me than being pressured to create a "radio hit" by following a formula that a label has in mind.

As far as drunk driving is concerned, you are correct. It is a terrible epidemic, and as long as people are willing to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated, people will die. It's very sad that it's not something that is likely to change any time soon, and I think that donations to organizations like <a href="http://www.madd.org/">M.A.D.D</a> are VERY worthwhile.

What I do find objectionable, is how you've paired up a pitch for Illumina with a pitch for a drunk driving compilation. Whether you take advantage of it or not, it opens up a great window to call a potential artist selfish for not wanting to help to prevent drunk driving.

Thank you for listening to my song and sending me a message that is nearly a word for word identical copy of the other messages I found through a Google search. I can't blame you for that much. You have bands to get in touch with, and it only makes sense to utilize a form letter of some sort. It would be ridiculous to expect each one to be unique.

I guess what I am saying is: I am more trouble than I am worth, but thanks anyway.

ROCK!

Glenn Case
----------------- Original Message -----------------
From: <a href='http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... llumina</a>
Date: 10 Oct 2007, 06:26 AM

My name is Nicole Van Eden.

I work in the A&R department of Illumina Records. I actually work directly under Ron Bellanti, the President of the label. My job is simple, to locate and contact new talent. We are looking for 20 up and coming Seattle area musicians for our Seattle Rockers for Life volume 2 CD.

Today while searching the web I came across your Myspace page and listened to your song Glutton.

I played the song for Ron as well and we both love it. I would like to talk to you taking the next step in your music career.

Illumina Records is the largest and fastest growing record company and PR firm in the world. Since last Thanksgiving we have signed and promoted over 1400 acts and 8000 musicians.

Illumina also has created The Ground Control Drunk Driving Prevention Campaign. This life saving program is the largest in internet history. In less than two years we have created and distributed over three million drunk driving awareness messages to the young people of the world. And every single one of them featured talented artists just like you.

What I was wondering is if you would like to use your talents to make a difference? And in the process have your music listened and marketed to hundreds of thousands of new fans and industry people. You can start building a national fan base right now.

Give me a call 978-XXX-XXXX (that’s my personal office line, it goes directly to my office) or else reply to this message with your phone number and I’ll contact you.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Nicole Van Eden
iLLUMINA Records
Ground Control
978-XXX-XXXX
nicole@illuminarecords.com

http://www.illuminarecords.com

http://www.myspace.com/illuminalaunch001

http://www.preventdrunkdriving.org

jimtyrrell · Post by **jimtyrrell** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:33 pm

Your response was WAY better than mine when I got the same letter (regarding my song House of Hodgman). After the same quick Google search, all I did was hit the DELETE button.
Maybe there is actually a good cause and an honest effort at the root of this. But yeah, thanks anyway.

GlennCase · Post by **GlennCase** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:35 pm

I considered doing that too, but I thought it might be fun to make my friends laugh. I doubt that Nicole will read anything past the second paragraph.

My reputation for being a nice guy is fading fast, isn't it?

ROCK!

Glenn Case

jimtyrrell · Post by **jimtyrrell** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:38 pm

Damn, yeah. You're turning into a real bastard 'round these parts. I'm going for more of the 'old dude who doesn't fight anymore but still pokes around' angle myself.

GlennCase · Post by **GlennCase** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:42 pm

jimtyrrell wrote:Damn, yeah. You're turning into a real bastard 'round these parts. I'm going for more of the 'old dude who doesn't fight anymore but still pokes around' angle myself.

And you're doing a mighty fine job of it, if I do say so myself.

(For the record: I DO say so, too.)

ROCK!

Glenn Case

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:42 pm

Sounds good Glen, I should have responded that way too, but instead, I just deleted their message, lol.

Lord of Oats · Post by **Lord of Oats** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:47 pm

Hey, I haven't gotten one! I feel left out! *whine whine whine*

Make Steve Albini proud, Glenn!

Niveous · Post by **Niveous** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:50 pm

GlennCase wrote: My reputation for being a nice guy is fading fast, isn't it?

You ended the letter with "I am more trouble than I am worth, but thanks anyway." You're still a nice guy.

Not so nice guy would've said something like "You can go fuck a cherry tree, you cankerskank scammer."

GlennCase · Post by **GlennCase** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:52 pm

Lord of Oats wrote:Hey, I haven't gotten one! I feel left out! *whine whine whine*

Make Steve Albini proud, Glenn!

It is nice to see that you have a sense of humor, sir.

I'll give a listen to some of your tunes in the near future, and attempt to match you up with a Beatles song.

If I don't do so within a week or so, feel free to remind me.

Niveous wrote: Not so nice guy would've said something like "You can go fuck a cherry tree, you cankerskank scammer."

You know, you're right. J$ probably gets some interesting responses when he says things like that.

ROCK!

Glenn Case

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:04 pm

GlennCase wrote:donations to organizations like <a href="http://www.madd.org/">M.A.D.D</a> are VERY worthwhile.

A little off topic...but while your statement is technically true (only by the fact that they get things done whether that is positive or negative is the question) , I wouldn't give a dime to that corrupt organization.

GlennCase · Post by **GlennCase** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 3:12 pm

Hoblit wrote:
GlennCase wrote:donations to organizations like <a href="http://www.madd.org/">M.A.D.D</a> are VERY worthwhile.

A little off topic...but while your statement is technically true (only by the fact that they get things done whether that is positive or negative is the question) , I wouldn't give a dime to that corrupt organization.

See, I'm glad that you bring this up. I tried to word that part very carefully due to the fact that I didn't research M.A.D.D. enough to know if they are on the up and up.

I wouldn't call it off topic at all. Please do tell us more.

ROCK!

Glenn Case

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:17 am

GlennCase wrote:
Hoblit wrote:
GlennCase wrote:donations to organizations like <a href="http://www.madd.org/">M.A.D.D</a> are VERY worthwhile.

A little off topic...but while your statement is technically true (only by the fact that they get things done whether that is positive or negative is the question) , I wouldn't give a dime to that corrupt organization.
See, I'm glad that you bring this up. I tried to word that part very carefully due to the fact that I didn't research M.A.D.D. enough to know if they are on the up and up.

I wouldn't call it off topic at all. Please do tell us more.

ROCK!

Glenn Case

I don't expect you to read this whole article...but it seems to be a summary of what is wrong with M.A.D.D. and its 'good intentions' going way too far.

http://www.drunkdrivingdefense.com/gene ... taylor.htm

It illustrates how the DUI laws are 'exception to the constitution' laws. M.A.D.D is responsible for getting some of these laws passed.

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 6:25 am

Also should mention that I've gotten no less than two letters from Illumina. One at my Hoblit Myspace and one at my Ghost Town Gridlock e-mail.

Rabid Garfunkel · Post by **Rabid Garfunkel** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 8:50 am

Guess I should start writing positive, happy, life-affirming songs now...

Naaaah.

Justincombustion · Post by **Justincombustion** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:07 pm

Glenn,

Next time tell them that you can't do it out of hypocracy: As you are VERY pro-drunk driving.

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