In a blog post published to his Third Man Records website Wednesday, Jack White, a.k.a. Rock 'n' Roll's last hope, answered questions from Vault members and Facebook fans about the merits of TIDAL (of which, he's one of its much-ballyhooed artist-owners).
The back-and-fourth was predictable: Will smaller artists be treated more fairly with TIDAL than, say, Spotify? "Damn straight," Jack answers, "I'm aiming to get unknown artists paid so that they can make more music." There were comments like: I totally understand wanting to help out smaller artists. My musicians buddies are all struggling. To which Jack adds: "But also bigger artists, medium artists, whatever, if PSY gets viewed 2 billion times and makes a couple grand, where did all his money go? It's also very important to buy real records from artists you love when they are on tour. That buys gas in our tanks when we were struggling."
The whole Q&A is shot through with a precise narrative: TIDAL is good for the little guy, the medium-sized act, the stadium-filler. Everyone. It'll help expose new bands. It'll guarantee fairer compensation. It'll pipe hi-fi art straight into the ears of fans. It might solve the imminent water crisis. And you can get it for the price of a couple LPs a month. Peanuts (as if the days of the $20 CD were something to pine for). "Tidal is good," over and over and over; the Leader teaching his congregation its new creed. The problem is, to just about anybody — and I'm sure that includes some of the Third Man Kool-Aid drinkers keenest on Jack — this sounds an awful lot like White grappling with the TIDAL FAQ page.
Imagine Jack White, up late at night, his hair mussed (not fashionably, but like from real worry), interviewing himself about TIDAL, justifying his own involvement, examining his own fibre, writing questions so that he can hit the talking points again and again. Squeezing them artfully into ever stranger arrangements.
Jack, what's your favourite sandwich topping?
Jack: I dig it all, from the big acts like Lettuce and Mayo to the smaller guys you don't see so often: Alfalfa, Pickled Turnip, Cotija Cheese. I just want everyone to get fair representation and remuneration in the worldwide sandwich shop of the 21st century. Like what we're doing with TIDAL...
Jack White answers questions from fans by chris hampton | Chart Attack.
