Once Upon a Time in Shaolin/museum tour/1 copy of album

[HEZAKYA]

"ENTITLEMENTS"...now im really offended..That's the same language Racist Tea Party Republicans use against Poor Black people on Food Stamps and Healthcare.....Woww! I think Cilvaringz needs to spend more time here in the States....That word has been used for the 2014 version of "NIGGER"..."Why does those Poor Negro's on Welfare think they're "Entitled" to Food Stamps and Heatlhcare." The Democrats have gave these Niggers a Since of "Entitlement"..they dont wanna work for a Living."That's that 1% lingo Cilvaringz is using. Im sure RZA dont give a Fuck about alienating the fans..he's probley a Republican now who loves Money..especially since he Worships that Fucking Racist Quinton Tarrantino. Raekwon..Ghost..Meth and the Others will Probley be PISSED! Good Night ya'll...i'll let Y-Kim do the rest of my talking......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9wEg9Hy97g

[zooruka]

No I'm not, or at least, not attempting to on purpose. Simply trying to get the concept across for fans to understand, and it's simply not being understood because I think that personal feelings and a sense of entitlement is playing a bigger role than allowing yourself to get into the concept. That's why I don't mind people saying they dont agree with it in a normal fashion, that's their right and understandable. I'm just not down with the childish bashing and ignorant comments which unfortunately on this forum have played a dominant role for many years (partly a reason why many clan members refuse to come on here and interact).

But ask yourself this question. Would the response have been equally aggressive and negative if:

A. I had told everyone truthfully from the get go I was going to make a dream Wu-Tang album that was not going to come out because of the same concept.

and/or

B. If I had never told anyone I was working on anything and the Forbes article suddenly dropped out of the blue, same story, same concept.


My guess? I think it would've been equally aggressive and negative. The real beef people got with this is not me coming across as a deceitful dude. The real beef is the simple fact that this could possibly be one of the best Wu-Tang records in years and the fans won't be able to own it. The fact that they'd have to go to another venue to hear it is apparently a pain. If somehow, we had spun the same concept and story and it had received the same media attention, but still would've ended up in the fans possession, it wouldn't have been a big issue. People would've complained about a delay, but nothing as significant as this. And this is what it's all about.

And let me be truthful here. If I were in your position, I'd also be upset. But I wouldn't resort to childish bashing and ignorant comments. I would actually respect the idea and try to discuss it in a more intelligent fashion. Luckily there are a few on here that look at it from a different angle.

I also think the fact that the Wu haven't dropped something so significantly close to a fan's dream album concept has something to do with the anger. And also the fact that A Better Tomorrow already feels like a forced project and might not include Raekwon or might not even come out.

But what's most mind boggling about this all, is this sense of entitlement to this record. A vast majority of you are demanding it in a way where it almost feels like we owe you this record, more than anything else. As if we are here to serve you and your needs according to how you want it to be done. And we're on the other side screaming, no... you will listen to this record the way WE want it done.

Is anyone in the wrong here? or is there no right and wrong with this stand off, other than a different perspective on how things should be done?

^^^^

Cilva it seems you have an "us vs them" mentality. When in reality the fans want to be on your side. I think not allowing fans to own the record, is a big mistake and could prove to be your undoing, and from your earlier post you are even actively trying to make sure fans never get to own it.


Like I said earlier your ambition is alienating the fans, and I am not sure how Rza or the clan would feel about this. ???? Considering they have family's to feed.

[josborne3680]

About 2 yrs ago that infamous 'Its Coming' thread was started. We all know it included dream line up listings on a weekly basis, snippets, Islord getting cut, fans input on a certain beat, reviews, etc. But now pretty much none of us will hear this album. I understand Ringz that you are allowed to change your mind, but admit you pretty much f#cked us. "Let me give you a little inside information about God. God likes to watch. He's a prankster. Think about it. He gives man instincts. He gives you this extraordinary gift, and then what does He do, I swear for His own amusement, his own private, cosmic gag reel, He sets the rules in opposition. It's the goof of all time. Look but don't touch. Touch, but don't taste. Taste, don't swallow. Ahaha. And while you're jumpin' from one foot to the next, what is he doing? He's laughin' His sick, fuckin' ass off! He's a tight-ass! He's a SADIST! He's an absentee landlord! Worship that? NEVER!" -Al Pacino in "The Devils Advocate". Peace

[Cilvaringz]

Im not trying to alienate fans by making sure they will never get to own the album, I just dont see how I can compromise on the integrity of the concept by allowing it to be commercialised so easily. Then this whole thing WILL become a publicity stunt, then all of this is just a marketing ploy and that's not what it's supposed to become. If I can steer this record into maintaining its course as an exclusive art piece that only lends itself to being heard in a different venue, then I will do my best to keep it that way. Not because I want to punish or alienate fans, I got nothing to punish them for or alienate them for, remember I'm one of them. But because we feel it's a necessary thing to do from our perspective, the artist's perspective.

Look, try to compare it something like the Mona Lisa. We can sit here and complain that Da Vinci didn't paint us all a piece each but that wont do much good as it is completely unrealistic. We'd all agree to that. But, we still have to go to Paris to view it. Sure, you can Google the image, but seeing it with your own eyes, is a different experience, and if you haven't seen it, you won't think it is a different experience. Same as with this record, it's there to be listened to, but it cannot be owned. The Mona Lisa wont be sold, it's to remain at The Louvre and you can be pissed off at that, respect that, or simply not care about it whatsoever. But whichever way you look at it, there's not much you can do about it and the French are simply not gonna let it go, even though it really should belong to the Italians. But the point I'm making is this, the purpose for this record has been set by us as artists for something we believe in. This purpose does not serve your expectations, and it is only normal that it pisses you off. It's only normal that in some way, it might alienate fans, it might create a "us vs. them" mentality, but those are normal consequences that come with an idea that doesn't necessarily work for everybody.

This idea doesn't hurt anyone. It doesn't cause any physical or mental pain, it doesn't hurt you economically, it simply has no other effect on you other than drawing out an opinion. But don't let that opinion become filled with hate or significant negativity because then the issue is no longer a simple disagreement, but an issue of obsession. Believe me again when I say that we are really behind this concept because we believe in it, and not because we're out to make the most money or to punish and alienate fans! If you keep talking in that circle, you're simply refusing to even take the concept into consideration or at least pay a little respect to trying to be creative or have a motive. You're then simply blinded by your own desires and that doesn't allow much space for a healthy debate.

Don't portray me as someone who's out to piss on fans. I'm simply not that person. No matter how much you'd try to twist it. You can sit there and claim I'm an egoistic selfish person for not sharing this record with yall for fame and money, but I can equally sit here and say yall fucking selfish and egoistic in only thinking about yourselves and not allowing us to try something new.

Which brings it back to the question I asked above. Is anyone in the equation right or wrong?

[Luz]

I think people don't understand why you think this album is so incredibly special. Your beats, wu acapellas you bought and a fancy silver box suddenly makes this the Mona Lisa of music worth millions of dollars? Why?

[food for thought]

I'm starting to understand this better now after reading that

[Cilvaringz]

Hmm, interesting.. so I seem to think that this album is so great that I shouldn't release it. But the people here actually think there is no way it can be that special, so I should just release it anyway...

Aight give me a moment to try and figure that one out.

[Luz]

So what makes your album the Mona Lisa of albums? Marketing?

[zooruka]

Im not trying to alienate fans by making sure they will never get to own the album, I just dont see how I can compromise on the integrity of the concept by allowing it to be commercialised so easily. Then this whole thing WILL become a publicity stunt, then all of this is just a marketing ploy and that's not what it's supposed to become. If I can steer this record into maintaining its course as an exclusive art piece that only lends itself to being heard in a different venue, then I will do my best to keep it that way. Not because I want to punish or alienate fans, I got nothing to punish them for or alienate them for, remember I'm one of them. But because we feel it's a necessary thing to do from our perspective, the artist's perspective.

Look, try to compare it something like the Mona Lisa. We can sit here and complain that Da Vinci didn't paint us all a piece each but that wont do much good as it is completely unrealistic. We'd all agree to that. But, we still have to go to Paris to view it. Sure, you can Google the image, but seeing it with your own eyes, is a different experience, and if you haven't seen it, you won't think it is a different experience. Same as with this record, it's there to be listened to, but it cannot be owned. The Mona Lisa wont be sold, it's to remain at The Louvre and you can be pissed off at that, respect that, or simply not care about it whatsoever. But whichever way you look at it, there's not much you can do about it and the French are simply not gonna let it go, even though it really should belong to the Italians. But the point I'm making is this, the purpose for this record has been set by us as artists for something we believe in. This purpose does not serve your expectations, and it is only normal that it pisses you off. It's only normal that in some way, it might alienate fans, it might create a "us vs. them" mentality, but those are normal consequences that come with an idea that doesn't necessarily work for everybody.

This idea doesn't hurt anyone. It doesn't cause any physical or mental pain, it doesn't hurt you economically, it simply has no other effect on you other than drawing out an opinion. But don't let that opinion become filled with hate or significant negativity because then the issue is no longer a simple disagreement, but an issue of obsession. Believe me again when I say that we are really behind this concept because we believe in it, and not because we're out to make the most money or to punish and alienate fans! If you keep talking in that circle, you're simply refusing to even take the concept into consideration or at least pay a little respect to trying to be creative or have a motive. You're then simply blinded by your own desires and that doesn't allow much space for a healthy debate.

Don't portray me as someone who's out to piss on fans. I'm simply not that person. No matter how much you'd try to twist it. You can sit there and claim I'm an egoistic selfish person for not sharing this record with yall for fame and money, but I can equally sit here and say yall fucking selfish and egoistic in only thinking about yourselves and not allowing us to try something new.

Which brings it back to the question I asked above. Is anyone in the equation right or wrong?

I understand what you are saying. You want to make this album something special, to be valued and appreciated like a fine piece of art.

Having said that.... Without the fans loyal support of Wu tang Clan, this concept would be dead in the water. No fans = No Wu tang Clan = No million dollar/One of a kind record. I don't think cutting them/fans out of the process, shows them the respect they deserve and or the appreciation they are probably entitled to for making Wu tang the success they are today.

I don't think you have really thought this through. So people listen to the record at an art gallery once maybe twice. Then what ???? It just sits in some rich guy's vault gathering dust, because you have actively sort to discourage him, or whoever buys it from making it available to the mass public/fans. I don't mean any disrespect, but people will just not give a damn after a while (Or do you expect them to keep going back to the museum every time they want to listen to the album) ????. All that is going to happen is..... People will say yeah, I have heard that Wu tang record and after a few months they will move on to something else, because they are only able to listen to it at museum..... but what will remain is how they got shafted out of probably the best Wu tang release ever, by not being allowed to own a copy..... and will probably retaliate by boycotting the Wu tang product in the future.


Anyway.... You have obviously firmly made up your mind, but I don't think you should be surprised if there is a negative impact on the Wu tang brand in the future.


Once again I say ..... I wonder how the Rza and the rest of the clan feel about this.... Considering they are still in the business of making music and providing for there families.

[ta12113]

I gotta give u this Ringz: art has been devalued to a degree. But is it the consumers who have devalued it, or the artists who have devalued it themselves, by compromising their integrity?

This is a very interesting statement that you are making, I think that much is pretty clear. Whatever it's underlying motivations it seems to have the potential to spark a reconsideration of artistic value. But I would think that it would primarily be among those artists which have become compromised already for some reason or another. But there are many more artists out there, whatever form their art takes, which still have their integrity intact because they never sold it in the first place.

[digitalsouljah36]

I'm hopeful to be able to attend a listening session, but yes, it's gonna suck if this turns out to be the best Clan release since Wu-Tang Forever and we never get to own it. Instead, we the fans, get to close out our Wu collections with Iron Flag, 8 Diagrams, and A Better Tomorrow. Yes, it's true we have 20 years worth of music but everything after the first 5 years was hit or miss. This is the album we have all been waiting for. I'm still confident that we will eventually be able to own a copy in some shape or fashion. We may never get a physical copy but shit at this point, I'll take MP3's. There still hasn't been a clarification on the "get your virus scans ready" quote. I'm anxious to see the end result of this.

[Cilvaringz]

Let me take you on that journey from the moment I switched my mind, maybe you'll understand it more.

So, last May I'm getting to the final song I'm editing to send off to mixing. The editing process has cost me 2 years for a variety of reasons but the main ones being that I was being extremely picky and insecure to the point where I was overproducing and had to shut myself down to realise that less is more. Anyway, the last song is actually one of my favourite songs of the record and I'm becoming extremely proud of this accomplishment.

I sit there, listening through some songs and playing this one record over and over and over, really enjoying it. And then it kinda hit me. The record has taken 6 years of my life. Off and on of course, not non stop. But a bulk of my time, away from my loved ones, was spent on this album. Now I've had the single copy idea before the recording already, but it was a very slight idea backed by the simple motivation of getting a lot of publicity, but I soon forget it. However, I do decide to approach recording the record in a secret way in case I might get back to that idea.

Anyway, I'm editing the final song and I think to myself about what will happen to this album. I start to reflect on the many albums that dropped and how long they remained in people's minds. And I start to kinda panic that I have built up all this anticipation, spent all this time away from my loved ones, put in all this work, only to see this record given to RZA, come out, sell a few records and be talked about for maybe a week, and gone... on to the next record.

And this is the moment where I start thinking about the 90s and how much I enjoyed looking forward to those records from then, waiting in line, all that anticipation, skipping school to get an album first thing in the morning, etc. At this time there was hardly any internet available, no snippets nothing. All we had were advertisements in The Source and release dates on kribs.com

And I started to reflect on what happened between then and now and why is that experience and interaction with music completely gone? And as I try to answer this question for myself, it kind of happens in stages...

First, music became digitised and became more accessible and available to more people.

As Napster takes off, the ability to get music, any music for free is made extremely easy.

Then comes YouTube and allows you to access music and video in the same easy way.

Macintosh allows people to now record their own music for very cheap and make it available to the masses.

This is great news, but at the same time, opens the gates to an ocean of supply.

As more and more people catch on to torrents, mediafire, etc etc, music sales start to really take a hit.

With the hit, comes cutting costs and that means cutting budgets. Cutting budgets is like telling the artists to make a Ferrari with Lada components.

As the music supply grows and grows and its physicality diminishes, it loses that valuable interaction and becomes more a data consumption, than interaction. It also turns consumers and listeners into a single based nation.

With the coming of iTunes, it now allows you to buy single songs without having to purchase the entire album, which is a good thing but at the same time strengthens the single based nation thing to the point where the concept of an album isn't really that interesting for the masses.

Blogs pop up and now offer a host of new songs for streaming, every day, by the bucket loads. Music becomes a quick fix, something you fill your iPod with.

Artists become less motivated as they are now forces into keeping up the supply because there's a pool of supply out there and if you want to be heard above the noise, you better keep feeding the masses when you got that chance.

This means of course that the quality suffers. Greatness cannot be made quickly. You already have little budget to make it happen, but now you're under pressure to up your supply or face exile from the game. This is when DMX started dropping 2 albums a year. And this is when the real incredible artists (Dre, MJ, Prince, etc) decide to take it even slower.

Now, here we are. The digital age. Music is available everywhere, anywhere, at any time, at any cost or for free, everyone can make it, sell it, an ocean of supply and the whole world trying to be heard above the noise. We're at a point where the promo lead to the release of an album is more intense and more interesting than the release of an album itself. Sales are hitting an all time low and music has devalued to being part of your daily data consumption, devalued to the point where you have to give it away for free and hope it becomes popular and you can do some shows, along with the other 8 million artists trying to do the exact same, devalued to the point where the quality of your music isn't as important as the publicity stunt you create around it, devalued to the point it isn't perceived and respected as an actual work of art anymore. Devalued to the point where the market (retail, tv, radio, print, internet, the consumer) dictates what your value as an artist is, telling what you can and cannot do with the work YOU created.

I then flashback to when I was a Vice President of the AiM Festival in Morocco, a contemporary arts festival in Marrakech headed by Vanessa Branson and my first real contact with contemporary art. It is the first time I'm introduced to names such as Warhol, Damien Hirst, Bacon, Basquiat and others. And the first time I see the screening of the movie 'Boogie Woogie' by my friend Danny Moynihan about the craziness of the art world.

I see people staring at a white canvas with a red line, discussing it for hours, thinking to myself that the artist at home must be laughing his ass off. The piece is later sold for 900.000 pounds. I see the black on white coca cola bottle painting by Warhol and its 60 million dollar price tag, along with the diamond skull by Damien Hirst and the 55 million dollar price tag. And that's when I ask myself the question... How is it possible that "simple" stuff like this can sell for millions and great albums such as "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" go for 10 bucks? What is this 60 million dollar difference between a mic and a paintbrush? Why was Beethoven and Mozart held in the same high esteem as MichaelAngelo and Rembrant, but today the creative output of a Dre or Kanye is not held in equal value as Warhol or Hirst for example. And despite at first using the term 'value' in a monetary sense only, I would later come to realise that it also included the experiential and artistic value.

The answer to my question was the devaluation of music, in all aspects as a result of many technological advancements that simply allowed people to adapt to the course of music in a different way that made it easier for them, but so much more difficult for the industry proving that service.

And so these questions kind of took over my mind for a week and I started to feel reluctant of allowing this incredible record to take the same course. I felt I wanted to say something, but being regular old Cilvaringz my voice would not be heard. Meanwhile I was sitting on a Wu-Tang Clan album and remembered a conversation I had with RZA 6 years ago about doing a dream Wu-Tang album and giving it a higher purpose.

So I wrote RZA a letter. During this time, he's asking me to finish up the record up and send it to him, but I keep delaying and not answering as I'm developing this idea. I realise that we're gonna have to do something dramatic if we want to be heard in an industry that has now become so dramatically different from when music still meant something as I remember. If indeed, exclusivity vs. mass replication (that one single original painting/sculpture vs. mass CDs) is the only difference between us and our neighbouring craft, then why not give this album the same trajectory as a contemporary art piece, from creation to exhibition to sale. And if we want to say to the world that we should be held equal in some sort to contemporary artists as we as musicians were in the old days to great painters and sculptors, why not adopt the oldest format of music exploitation as we know it from the Renaissance age when music was a commissioned commodity, reverse it and apply it to a modern world. Take 400 years of steps back to make a statement about moving forward. And if we want to say to our fellow artists that they themselves must value themselves and their works first and not let the market dictate their value, why not put our own price on our own work?

So we never said that music must be described as art, we all know it is, it's just not perceived as such anymore because we don't think that way until somebody sits us down and asks us. But what we are saying is that we as artists must value ourselves and not let the market do so because the market is at a point right now where it's an ocean of God knows what and therefore created unsustainable and unfair conditions for artists and the survival of quality music and the way we feel it should be experienced, cherished and interacted with. And the way we get that across, is by grabbing people's attention by drawing comparisons to a neighbouring craft which still holds significant monetary, artistic and experiential value in today's world and applying its model to music.

It therefore becomes more of a statement and the music serving as the soundtrack to that statement. And if we want that statement, the integrity of the concept as we call it, to not be compromised, we have to try and maintain its course and not fall victim to commercialisation. Because then it becomes a publicity stunt, a clever marketing ploy, and loses its power as a monumental statement in music history. For it to really hit home, it needs to be "sacrificed". Like Abraham's dedication to God was not tested by how many times he prayed, but by putting a knife to his son's throat.

This is what I told each member of the Clan a few days before RZA and I fully agreed on this concept. Nobody thought it was a bad idea, some were very enthusiastic about it, some were sceptic, but everybody rallied behind the belief that it was a strong statement and a necessary one to make.

Automatically, by taking this approach, the album becomes very expensive. It's a one of a kind thing so of course it becomes valuable, which means a lot of money, which means people will see it as a money grab more than an actual concept with a genuine purpose. And of course, due to the publicity it's going to get, the fans are going to think it's a grab for money AND fame. We never asked for it becoming so valuable and get so much media attention, but we did expect it and we aint mad at that. But we didn't sit there crafting it for those two purposes. That just came with the idea, and it's definitely not a bad thing.

So the album is not the Mona Lisa of albums, but it somewhat adopts the course it has taken and of course the comparisons with the contemporary art world is made to put our purpose in an easier context to understand by the general public.

I hope that's a bit more clear now.

[O3EY]

I probably missed this but I wonder if the members themselves have heard it or want to. I think who ever buys it should have a chance to hear it with the wu in a private setting. I mean I'd want that experience if I were to pay over 5 million for it.

also (although I'm sure you might not get to decide this) you should try to tour the album in other places of the us not just major cities. I'd be hesitant to drive to dc or ny from where I live just to listen to something.

[HEZAKYA]

I respect your well thought out post Cilvaringz...Im an Artist myself...and understand where you are coming from. Myself...i just want my Art to be seen and Heard. After reading your post, i truly respect your Vision...but i disagree with it. First of all...let's get this out the way...I've been waiting for a group Wu Album for years..without all the Bullshit Fighting..some real Good Music. I thought "A Better Tommorow" was gonna be that Album...but wit all the bad Publicity and Weak Singles..it looks like it maybe worst than 8 Diagrams...8 Diagrams is not a Horrible Album..but it's bad for Wu Standards. Then you guys Announce this Wonderful Wu Album..but we are never ever gonna hear it. As a Fan..it hurts, im not gonna lie.

I get what you're trying to do..it's a Noble Cause...Really it is...But Wu-Tang is in Trouble right now..maybe this is not a time to make "Artistic Statements"..and Risk the only loyal fans support that Wu survived on for all these Years. The group is about to Implode right now...Put the Album out..and if it sells..then This "Wonderful" Album can restore Wu-tang and then you guys can afford to make Artistic Statements. I know that's not happening, but that's my opinion.

Warhol..Basquait...Da Vinci..those guys are DEAD...of course they're Art is valued and appreciated..those guys cant paint no more..so it's one of a kind. Most of those guys never really Sold a painting until they were dead. Mozart...beethoven....The Beatles..they're Dead...well Most of the Group anyways...They're never gonna Produce shit again. Which makes their Music Worth Something. You're in the Music Business. Kanye sells for $10...because he's still very active and putting out music. there's nothing rare about it. If he's still alive recording music. there's really no Value. If he Passed on tommorow..then whatever he was working on....can now be Re-evaulated and Sold to the Highest Bidder.

As for Single records being sold..that's what the Music business has always been..In the late 50's and Early 60's...An album was'nt an Entity in itself like we know it for today..it was nothing but a collection of Singles with some Fillers in between. It was'nt until the Beatles released "Rubber Soul"..that Albums became Artistic Expression. They changed the game with that Album..prior to that, the Beatles and everybody else were doing Covers and releasing singles with Filler Albums. So now with Mcdonald's ringtone Music today..Music just reverted back to the days of Buggle Gum teeny Bopper "American Bandstand Music." and Singles!

We can never go back to the Time of Record Stores and The Source Magazine..i was the same age..and i could'nt wait when i seen Wu in Upcoming Albums in the Source. I wish sometimes, we could go back to 3 Channels on T.V...which made the Entire Family sit together and watch Programming together...70 Million People watched the Beatles On Ed Sullivan...it can never go back..because the whole country had to choose between 3 Channels...So they all tuned into the Beatles. Im Sure T.V Stations wish they could back to that time and the way things were done to Generate more ratings. I get your Vision but it's like...Not enough people are watching "The Walking Dead" as much anymore on Sundays...they're just DVR or watching it on Hulu or something. So AMC decides to Make the Best Season Ever. with everything we ever wanted in a Season..and said..we made only one DVD copy..and we'll sell it to the Highest Bidder...everybody else has to watch it in Art Houses. It can never go back..maybe it can..it'll be interesting to see you guys pull it off...

Until then, im not checking for Traditional Wu-Releases anymore until they get their Act together. GOOD LUCK!

[Cilvaringz]

Well Hezakya, you made some interesting points and it can definitely be viewed as a fair point from your perspective. That's why it's so difficult to define what this approach does or for whom it will do what. As it's basically doing a bunch of different things to a bunch of different people in the equation.

Whether it will succeed? Who knows. Maybe it has already. Maybe it has sparked the mind of the people who will actually change the course of music. The debates are ongoing so that's already an achievement.

And sure, most of the valuable artists are dead, but Damien Hirst is still alive, so is Jeff Koons and so is Bridget Riley. Death doesn't necessarily represent high numbers. And no matter how you see it, sure Wu-Tang Clan is not as relevant today compared to a Drake or Ross, but they dont need to be, because they have a catalogue that speaks for itself and have left a mark on the world far greater than many relevant artists today. This has nothing to do with relevancy. That's just another standard term used in the commercial world to measure success. Drake couldn't have pulled this off, neither could Rick Ross or French Montana for that matter. The Wu, Dre, Em, Kanye and Jay are a few of the people that could've pulled this off. Even someone as Nas would've felt weird. And whomever buys this, might not even be a Wu fan like that, but someone who will buy himself into the story or just a rich music collector who loved the idea.

Ultimately, I'm not going to measure the success of this approach by the sale or the money we get for it, but more by how it's perceived and accepted by those we did this for... the artists.