The Co-Op Communique Volume Three — a music compilation from Introverse Media’s Co-Op arts discovery outreach — is now available for free download here!
The Co-Op is intentionally introducing listeners to different artists, says the founder of the effort Dw. Dunphy. “The primary conceptual driver of the Co-Op project is the notion a rising tide lifts all boats. We intentionally went farther than ever before to get a few more recognizable names as well as artists in their first few years of their careers. They are all independent, but each has varying sizes of fan bases. The Co-Op Communique is an opportunity to cross-pollinate and to be heard where, otherwise, they might not.”
By establishing a series of compilations via a Bandcamp distribution channel, The Co-Op’s goal is to break the stalemate between an eager audience and the distribution channels that cannot come together. The third edition features a staggering 35 tracks by 35 different artists.
Dunphy said, “Previous entries of the series were multi-platform, but we found Bandcamp’s ability to link to other sites, artist-operated stores, and more to be so important to our goals that only they were uniquely positioned to support this. The Co-Op Communique is proud to make Bandcamp our home base for this music discovery effort.”
Thanks to the flexibility that the Bandcamp platform provides, participants in the previous Co-Op Communique releases will still have their music made available to new listeners, also for free. Said Dunphy, “We have several artists returning for the latest compilation including Lisa Mychols, Dann Gunn, Dan Pavelch, Rob Ross, and more, but the primary intention for this series is to expose artists to audiences, so it was imperative that those artists who were not returning for Volume Three retained the same level of exposure.”
Artists featured on The Co-Op Communique Volume Three: Josh Fix, The Ravines, Beki Hemingway, Jerry Woods, Mike Indest, And How, Lyndsay Wells, Michael Knott, Scarbrough Affair, The b-attitudes, Didi Favreau, Smile Factory, Chris Taylor, Rob Ross, Jeff Elbel + Ping, Crab Rangoons, Daniel Amos, Lisa Mychols, Dann Gunn, The Greek Theatre, Mike Errico, Son of Skooshny, The Successful Failures, Brandon Schott with Shana Dellos, Core Device, Chris Neri, The Deafening Colors, Ojo Taylor, Andy Klingensmith, Eddie Parrino, By Torchlight, Bill Shaouy, Vegas With Randolph, Gretchen’s Wheel, and Captain Wilberforce.
How did Dunphy manage to get so many musicians to commit to the project? “Honestly, I asked. It’s that simple. From every level of recognition, these people want to be found and want to be heard. I gave them my pitch and told them what my intentions were. I think everyone was impressed by what we were going to pull off here. More than that, because I’m not taking a cent from them and not from those who will be able to download the compilation, I believe they understood the sincerity behind the project.”
“You know, The Co-Op Communique is not the only ‘exposure’ compilation out there. However, many of them do charge for placement, and many expect you to buy units of the final product if it is a physical release. I can’t do that. As a musician myself, I know the time and effort, and frankly the pain of putting a song together. That is as tangible an effort as any built object. Here I am essentially asking them to donate the song, and that’s a sacrifice. But again, if we are in this together, hopefully that rising tide will lift all boats and all participants will gain benefits from being a part of this. That’s my hope.”
When asked if there were expenses involved with putting this project out and promoting it, Dunphy was candid. “There are costs. The press release distribution is a cost. The social media ads are a cost. I don’t expect I’ll recoup that, but in our current political climate, let’s be honest. Arts funding is probably going away. Regardless of whether you’re for or against that, I think it is a non-partisan reality that arts funding is going away. Does that mean we don’t do these things anymore simply because the grants are gone? I hope that The Co-Op Communique stands as an example that we’ll have the will to continue creating, even if the previous infrastructures disappear.”
Dunphy also said that he “…hopes others steal the concept. If more people decide to make compilations like these, with the same principles baked in, we can bridge the gap between the audience and the artists. That was a role that radio once filled, which I don’t believe it handles as effectively as it once did. That’s what we want to do here and hope others emulate.”
The Co-Op Communique Volume Three is now available to download here!