It's not exactly the most original idea but Third Man Records head honcho Jack White has started a website subscription service called the Vault, which will include exclusive video content, pre-sale concert tickets, podcasts, pay-per-view live concerts and other exclusive online content for seven dollars a month. A "premium membership" is also available for a rather hefty 20 bucks a month (minimum three-month subscription), and also includes a quarterly limited edition twelve-inch LP, seven-inch single and T-shirt.
Sure, everyone from Prince to the Suicide Girls are currently running subscription-based websites but White (he of White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather fame) is in enough bands to keep pumping out new content for years.
In an online post, White outlines the Vault manifesto on Third Man's website, explaining the reasons behind starting the subscription service, as well as taking some digs at the music industry.
It reads, in part, "As we here at Third Man look at the current state of the record business, we are disappointed, nay, sickened, at the lack of imagination, ambition and dare I say, democracy offered to the people that really matter. The fans are the people that keep labels and bands alive, and it's high time somebody out there took a hard look at the way records are being sold and distributed, and changed it."
The subscription service includes full access to the artists on Third Man, including all of White's bands. And the 20 dollar per month premium membership's bonus products will only be manufactured to match the amount of members, meaning the records and T-shirts will be extremely limited and not available in retail stores. So, in other words, if you're hurting from spending 240 dollars a year on Third Man stuff, you can always start up an eBay account and make your money back.
Sure, everyone from Prince to the Suicide Girls are currently running subscription-based websites but White (he of White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather fame) is in enough bands to keep pumping out new content for years.
In an online post, White outlines the Vault manifesto on Third Man's website, explaining the reasons behind starting the subscription service, as well as taking some digs at the music industry.
It reads, in part, "As we here at Third Man look at the current state of the record business, we are disappointed, nay, sickened, at the lack of imagination, ambition and dare I say, democracy offered to the people that really matter. The fans are the people that keep labels and bands alive, and it's high time somebody out there took a hard look at the way records are being sold and distributed, and changed it."
The subscription service includes full access to the artists on Third Man, including all of White's bands. And the 20 dollar per month premium membership's bonus products will only be manufactured to match the amount of members, meaning the records and T-shirts will be extremely limited and not available in retail stores. So, in other words, if you're hurting from spending 240 dollars a year on Third Man stuff, you can always start up an eBay account and make your money back.
