New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ Public
Enemy Official Website) - Public
Enemy have begun preparations for their new album, which is set to include special guest performances by Tom
Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave),
Rise Against and Z-Trip. The band also announces its plan to enter the studio sooner than expected, as they establish a new fan funding goal via SellaBand.com in order to speed up the recording process.
Public Enemy are the first major act to utilize the fan funding concept, reflecting their dedication to seeking out alternatives to the major label system and the traditional record company structure particularly through the use of technology. PE were one of the first to release an album on an artist-owned label, to release an album in MP3 format, to collaborate directly with fans via the Internet, and co-founder Chuck D is a heralded pioneer in digital music and ownership rights.
"This project, as it sits, is a success and is one of the largest budgets ever raised by fan funding," says Chuck D. "We have learned that the fan funding model is still not fully developed and, as a result, a $250,000 fund raising effort, while possible, will take too long to accomplish." The group decided to realign their fund raising target to $75,000, determining that the figure is one that the existing SellaBand model, as well as the current economic climate, can better support. The group had originally sought a higher budget in order to record an album to allow for guest collaborators on every song and acknowledge that being the first to explore a new model such as this would require adaptation along the way. As of today, PE has amassed 75% of the revised goal, and will close funding as soon as it reaches 100%.
"This is our history and will always be our legacy as pioneers in the music business and we are unapologetic for our unyielding advocacy for models that promote artist control and self sufficiency," Chuck D adds. "We will continue to be bold and fearless and try new things that test old models."
For further information and details on the invesent platforms, please go to Public Enemy's profile page on SellaBand.com as well as www.publicenemy.com.
