A punk band doesn't always have it easy. Of course, you want to bring your music to the people. Besides live performances, you also want something to remain for posterity. For example, in the form of a nice CD or, for nostalgics, even pressed on fine vinyl. The problem is that you don't get such things for free; the studio and pressing plant need to be paid, and even the small expenses add up to a significant overall cost factor. Since The Bottrops apparently haven't gotten rich with their first two albums and don't want to pander to any big labels, they are now trying to finance their planned third album via crowdfunding.
This is a new hype on the internet, where self-proclaimed designers have previously financed their animal-cruelty "I put this on the heater because it looks stylish" mini-aquariums or borderline artists who "imported animal antlers fresh from the poacher of trust from Africa to cover with gold leaf" from a large crowd with small contributions.
With the plan of The Bottrops to close their funding gap of 2,500 euros through the collected money from the crowd, a worthy project is finally joining in. It works like this: anyone can donate any amount of money. They do not get this back through sales proceeds, but depending on the amount of their donation, they receive a small or larger gift. For example, for 5 euros, there is a thank-you postcard; for the approximate price of a CD, namely 15 euros, the new album will be sent after completion, including the artists' signatures. Those willing to dig a little deeper into their pockets can get a tour day as a Bottrops crew member for 55 euros or for 111 euros, Johnny Bottrop as a private DJ for the next party.
By the way, the donated amount will only be collected if the minimum sum of 2,500 euros is reached at the end. With a balance of nearly 700 euros after just a few days of running time, one can certainly expect that. Overall, a very interesting approach; all relevant information can be found at www.startnext.de/the-bottrops-drittes-album. It remains to be seen whether other bands will follow this example.
