fan letter and response

On Oct 27, 2015, at 7:49 PM, (name) wrote:

Dear Phil,

The other day, I did something that I’m normally used to doing: I pirated your album, The Glow pt. 2. I didn’t even think about it as I clicked the download button. I just heard from a lot of music sites and message boards that it was a great album, and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Once the zip file loaded, I immediately gave it a listen. Once the title track came on, I was immediately interested. When the next song came along, I was invested. After listening to the album a couple of times, and giving it some time to digest, I fell in love with the album.

A couple of days later, I did something that I’m normally not used to doing: I bought your album. I didn’t even buy it from iTunes or Amazon; I bought it from your label. I rarely even buy albums, let alone physically. I only do it when I really like an album or if I’m interested in the artist or band who made it. Being a high schooler, I’m usually strapped for cash, so I usually get CD rips from online sources. (I recently got a job, so I think this habit will likely go away.) However, this album was so good, that I had to buy it.

I wrote this letter as a way of saying thanks for what you do. The Glow pt. 2 will very likely become one of my favorite albums in my collection. I haven’t listened to the Mount Eerie album yet aside from a couple of songs online (I heard it’s just as good, if not, better than The Glow), and I haven’t really delved into the Mount Eerie discography yet (I really want to listen to Wind’s Poem since I’ve been interested in black metal recently as well). However, once I earn more money, I will hopefully be able to get some more albums.

Anyways, keep up the good work. I hope to be purchasing from you more often.

Thanks.

On Oct 29, 2015, at 5:11 PM, Phil Elverum wrote:

Hi (name),
Thanks for writing, and thanks for liking my album.  I’m grateful you bought it, especially from me directly.  That’s certainly the best way.

I do have to say that the general message of your letter is a great example of the precarious future that artists and musicians find themselves in in 2015.  In the past a “fan letter” would naturally have come from a starting point of financial support.  Nowadays the norm is to say “I like your music so much I did a crazy radical thing: I supported you financially.”  I realize this makes sense to you given that you are in high school and have grown up in a world where everything is free on the internet and the necessity of paying for music is not a given.  It is probably easy to tell yourself a story about how artists don’t need the money that bad and pirating is no big deal, and in many cases this is certainly true.  I have done it too.  

But what is striking to me is the shift in what’s “normal”.  We are approaching a time when it is unusual and special to pay for music.  You are a good dude, writing a kind and earnest letter to me, and not trying to make any special point about the financial times we live in.  It seems that you are writing to say “thanks”, but there is also a tone of “you’re welcome” in there, as if you made a special exception for me by buying the record, which I guess is what you did.  
I am older and have a different conception of “normal”.  I take it for granted that a musician deserves to get paid for an album.  If a high schooler doesn’t have the money then the high schooler just temporarily has fewer albums to listen to.  I know I am from another time and technology has made my “normal” no longer true.  Still, the underlying ethical tradeoff seems basic and eternal to me.  I am weirded out by the fact that it is a special exception for someone to buy a record from me vs. quickly and easily pirating my whole discography.  (Questions of if people like it or not are beside the point here.) 

I have yet to adjust to the new state of things, and in fact I don’t know what adjusting would even look like.  How would it work?  I could not make the stuff I make if I had to sustain myself by also working at another job.  The music would disappear, and I think this is true for most artists.  This basic fact seems like a clear enough argument against pirating.  It’s personal.  It’s not about big businesses and “victimless crimes”, or about a teen with no money just needing it so bad that they are exempt from the ethics.  It’s a simple exchange of support and art.  

Of course, I am super appreciative you like my album and I’m sorry to go off on you.  It was just a thought provoking message.  I know you get it and you were clear about your intentions to buy more records from me in the future.  I just want to say “yes, good, thank you very much” and also, don’t treat this as a special scenario.  Pay your musicians.  Think about the whole system.  

thank you,
see you
Phil