(The Futureheads - Taking DIY to a whole new level)
Another MySpace discovery, and another reason, no matter what anybody says, MySpace is a great place to discover new music. I swear.
The Futureheads have been around since 2000. I came to them when I first got on MySpace, around 2006. The first track of theirs I heard was this one, Skip To The End, which wound up on their second studio album "News and Tributes". In sucked me in during the intro, and when the album came out a few weeks later, stood in line to get the album (call me neanderthal, but I still love the tactile sensation of those discs and lumps of vinyl).
Far from obscure in Europe, they've yet to make much dent here in the States. But if they persist here as they did over there, it's only a matter of time.
Aside from liking the band and the production of their albums, I love the fact that these guys have taken it upon themselves to make and distribute their own stuff, promote it themselves and have done it by word of mouth and sheer persistence.
I've been saying for the past few years that these social networks have been great for getting new music out to people who would otherwise have no access to it. How it's a unique opportunity for bands all over the world to carve out their own niche and make money at the same time. I've seen it happen over and over again. For once, art and life are on speaking terms.
And good on Futureheads for proving it can happen.
As always, do what you can to support them. Check out their site, get on their mailing list, pick up their albums. Everybody wins on this one.
