So that being said, what is the value of digital distribution?  For me, it’s this:

bandcamp top ten, oct 2009

Statistics!  These are stats from my Bandcamp site.  They show how many times my song was played, partial played, or skipped entirely.  Sure, you can gauge how many “fans” you have by the number of CDs that you sell at a show, but this tells me so much more: namely, it tells me what songs people like, and what songs they don’t like.  And that, my friends, is much more important when it comes to creating a CD that you intend to sell to an audience.

So let’s take a look at the chart.  It’s simple enough, but again, it says a lot.
Like for example, it says that my song “Attaquin Beach” was skipped nine times, and only partially played twice.  I now know that nine people didn’t really care for that song, and based on two partial listens, I can accurately gauge that people just don’t like it.  Hey, no skin off my back.  I’m glad to have these statistics.  I know that not every song I write, record or release is going to be great.  But with this info, I can strive towards greatness, which is something I think all artists are working on.

So, songs that do well?  Looks like “Song for Ex-Girlfriends” was listened ten times, and never skipped.  That’s pretty awesome.  That means ten people listened to that song and didn’t think, “Eh, next song” at all during it.  That makes me feel more confident about that song.  Same with “This is All,” “Don’t Want Me Around,” “Susan (is it true?),” and the number one song, “Storage” — these are all songs that people, on the whole, enjoyed.  I don’t know why they enjoyed them, but that doesn’t really matter; chances are, if you asked someone why they like a particular song, they won’t give you a cohesive answer.  This isn’t being mean, it’s just a fact.  People are really good at telling you why they dislike something, but telling you why they like it is another thing entirely.

Now, I can also assume that at least a few of the songs in the top ten have been listened to more than once by the same person.  Why?  Think of it this way: if you had stumbled upon someone’s site full of music, and you didn’t know where to start, what would you do?  You’d probably browse until you find something you like, or you’d listen a couple of times and then leave.  I have a sneaking suspicion that some people found songs that they liked and listened to them more than once.  Call it a hunch.

Well, I had written a lot more to this post but Wordpress became evil and published only half of it.  That makes me angry.  I guess I’ll continue this in a second blog post, but right now I need ice cream.

cover art by kira lehman

As you know, I’ve been releasing three-song EPs on the third day of every month this year.  Well, the October EP is out!  You can go here to take a listen (and check out the other months, if you’d like).  The art is beautiful and by my friend Kira, and the songs are about trees, a stripper, and some relationship nonsense.  Par for the course, I reckon.

If you like these EPs and want to be even more connected, I suggest you download the others, perhaps put a song or two on a mix CD for your friend, casually drop my name at a cool indie party (thus solidifying your hipster status by naming a musician no one has heard of [yet]).  You can also donate a few bucks toward my eventual construction of a new CD, which will happen early next year.  This CD will be like the JJ Abrams version of Star Trek: a reboot, if you will.  But that’s another blog for another time.

Anyway, I hope you like it, and I hope you have a wonderful time doing whatever it is you do in the world. 

UPDATE: This is a video my brother took with his BlackBerry of me playing. The quality isn’t great and he missed the first song (kind of … he was recording the audio for a Cinch thing, which I will look for later), but for the vast majority of you who have never seen me play live, this is what a Josh Belville show is typically like. As in, I make a lot of mistakes and try to be funny.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of popping my musical gig cherry at Portland Hempstalk.  I moved to Portland a year ago and while I have spent a lot of time writing and recording songs, I’ve been a bit reclusive about playing.  The reasons are various, from lack of transportation to a general disinterest in playing “Kittens & Puppies” for the nth time.  However, I was given an opportunity to play a short, 20 minute gig at Hempstalk and I took it.  This required me to unearth ancient songs, like mummies, and try to render them serviceable in front of people (even if they’re stoned).

My set list was:

Going to Portland
Kittens & Puppies
Susan (is it true?)
The Sign [yes, the Ace of Base song]
Here, I Found Your Stupid Bike
Noelle

I also burned 25 CD-Rs to sell but I didn’t end up selling any, mostly because of my own ineptitude.  If you’re reading this and you’d like one, they’re only $5 to cover the cost of buying more CD-Rs.  The tracklist is split into two parts: the first five songs are acoustic and the second five are a “band.”  Here are the tracks:

Going to Portland
Susan (is it true?)
“Vino” [tentative title]
Here, I Found Your Stupid Bike
When I’m Equity
Mary! (Get Frisky!)
Is This Bud or is This Leaf? [pot-centric Clash parody]
City of Trees
Singing My Song
Get Stoned Together

Anyway. I always feel a little awkward at these types of festivals because I don’t smoke pot.  I do work at a medicinal marijuana clinic, yes, but I don’t feel particularly connected to the movement.  Yes, I think it should be legal but I have other things to deal with, such as making money, playing music and acting in plays.

I write that mainly because, despite statistics that might say otherwise, I feel like most people, when told that I work at a medical marijuana clinic, take that as a negative thing.  Much like when I tell them that I got my undergraduate degree in theatre, they both inspire the question, “But what are you really going to do with your life?”

The truth is, I make more money at THCF (the clinic in question) than I ever did in Boise.  Ever.  And despite its dysfunctions and other things about it that sometimes piss me off, it’s really an easy job.  So there.

Sorry, sometimes I go off on tangents because my job makes me feel defensive!

One of the hardest parts about playing this gig was trying to figure out what to play.  I ended up throwing in the old standards (Kittens & Puppies, Stupid Bike) because people like them, K&P especially.  I always get compliments for that song.  It’s funny because I wrote it in five minutes to cheer up a friend of mine.  I guess I could take hours and hours of songwriting classes, but I doubt they’d ever get me to write a song that quick, that makes so many people laugh.

I originally wasn’t going to play it because it contains the dreaded F bomb, and Hempstalk is an all ages event.  But after listening to Sandpeople, who played before me and spoke profanities like they were breathing air, I figured why the hell not do it too.  I hope those two toddlers towards the front weren’t horrible offended.

As for the other songs, “Going to Portland” is an obvious song about going to Portland.  It’s also about a girl who apparently hates me now, but that’s a story for a different blog.  It’s a good opener I think.  “Susan (is it true?)” is about a comic book nerd who wants to send a love letter to this girl but doesn’t.  Who sends love letters these days?  Love texts are more like it.  Love e-mails.  Love … Facebook messages.

And I sang “The Sign” because it opened up my eyes.  End of story.  (Though, judging from the video, no one knew this song. It boggles my mind if that is the case.)

Wow, that was a lot about me and not a lot about the venue itself.  Kelley Point Park is located where the Columbia and the Willamette rivers meet, and it is beautiful.  There was a bit of a walk just to get to the park itself, but the walk was on narrow paths surrounded by tall trees, with the sunlight filtering through the trunks.  Gorgeous.  The park itself was just as beautiful, lush and green, and with all the booths and people it was like walking into a little nestled village.  Perfect for hippies!

There was a nice little crowd by the time I got on stage, friends and some new folk, which is always good.  The sound was great and people seemed to enjoy themselves.  That’s all I’m after, people’s enjoyment.

There is video of my set captured by my very own brother, and some photos flying around the intertubes, which will all find their way to this website.  I’m still dinking around with Wordpress and will at some point make this site look less gray and more colorful.  Maybe.  I also have at least one potential date for a future gig with my friend Charlie in November.  Hopefully in between then and now will be open mics, the stories of which will be graciously reprinted in this blog.

I’m also thinking about doing some “shows” on ustream, or similar video outlets. Since I can’t really play music outside of Portland right now, it seems like a cool way to play a show for friends and fans.  What do you think?

Take care!