question: does anyone know how ozmas album sales are coming along?

[Джесси]

I sure as Hell don't listen to the radio. If I do, it's classic rock stations or some of the local access ones. However, I'm not sure how much more they can rely on those things (shows, etc.). I'd say that's the reason they have the fans they have now, and am somewhat unsure of how many more fans they can get that way. If you think about it, radio is they one place Ozma really hasn't used to heavily. There are exceptions, but for the most part, radio time and MTV (vomit) time equals how "successful" a band can become.

[Oatmeal]

i dont know if ozma is the type of band who radio play would really help.  i think they have to rely on shows, word of mouth, and the internet a lot more.  of the people who listen to ozma, how many even listen to the radio?

Good points.

[funwithsponges]

i dont know if ozma is the type of band who radio play would really help.  i think they have to rely on shows, word of mouth, and the internet a lot more.  of the people who listen to ozma, how many even listen to the radio?

Good points.

Umm...no.  That's not a good point.

Of the people who already do listen to Ozma, it doesn't matter.  Obviously.  But what would be the point of trying to get...the same fans you already have?

Radio airplay is huge for Ozma getting their name out and their songs heard by a lot of people, regardless of if any person on this message board listens to "mainstream" radio.

[pygmy twylyte]

it is a valid point.  maybe i should word it differently.  of the people who would like ozma, how many listen to the radio?
a lot of bands arent on the radio for a reason.  they dont attract the mindless radio audience.  ozma has passion and meaning beyond a lot of what these people would recognize.

[Oatmeal]

Ozma's music spreads thru much other ways than the radio. To me Pygmy Twylyte  clearly indicated that he wanted the ozma's music to spread in the way it did to us before, just at a quicker pace.



Some potential real ozma fans may be on the radio, which wonââ,¬â,,¢t make it a total waste. However, as he said If we want more REAL ozma fans, most will not be on the radio.       

[Not Jason]

ozma has passion and meaning beyond a lot of what these people would recognize.

I'll grant you readily that a lot of radio music is fairly empty, but the above-quoted statement is offensive to me.  Hooray for us, we don't listen to the radio, now let's comparatively talk shit about a large section of the population who isn't as unbearably hip as us.  Fuck off.

[The Other Mike]

people who describe music they like as being 'emotional' or having 'feeling' need to take a music appreciation course or something so they can learn how to better describe and understand the qualities they enjoy in music.... and also so they can stop annoying the fuck out of me.


edit: I realize he used neither of the words mentioned above and actually said they had 'passion', but the point still stands.

[Oatmeal]

ozma has passion and meaning beyond a lot of what these people would recognize.

I'll grant you readily that a lot of radio music is fairly empty, but the above-quoted statement is offensive to me.  Hooray for us, we don't listen to the radio, now let's comparatively talk shit about a large section of the population who isn't as unbearably hip as us.  Fuck off.

Just because I donââ,¬â,,¢t like the music that's played on the radio stations in my area does not make me think Iââ,¬â,,¢m hip or does it mean that I am talking bad about those who listen to the radio. Maybe my radio stations are not as good. Sometimes I get a station from San Diego thatââ,¬â,,¢s good however. I get none from L.A. though.

PS: Would you guys stop arguing with words? You people ignore the whole gist of what we are saying because you like to argue about stupid points to make yourselves look smarter than us. Yeah I do know you know more about music than most of us do. Get over it.

[The Other Mike]

I think both of the arguments above your post were aimed at that other dude, and it's not like we were nit-picking grammar or arguing semantics; the guy made some doofusy points and they needed to be addressed.

[VanSlegr Fan]

Just becuase I dont like the the music that's play on my radio station me dose not make me think i'm hip or does it mean that I am talking bad about thoes who listen to the radio. Maybee my radio stations are not as good. Sometimes I get a sation from San dieago thats good however. I get none from L.A. though.


PS: Would you guys stop agruing with words. You people igonre the whole gist of what we are saying becuase you like to argue about stupid points to make yourselves look more smart than us. Yeah I do know you know more about music than most of us do. Get over it.

SPELL CHECK, dude. Spell check before you reply, it doesn't help your arguement.

[pygmy twylyte]

jesus christ guys, stop making such a big deal out of a couple sentences.  let me start over.

i dont think most people that would like ozma listen to the radio.

does that work?  thats why i dont think radio play is that big of a deal for them.  i think they have to rely on other methods.  now, continue.

[lit]

jesus christ guys, stop making such a big deal out of a couple sentences.  let me start over.

i dont think most people that would like ozma listen to the radio.

does that work?  thats why i dont think radio play is that big of a deal for them.  i think they have to rely on other methods.  now, continue.

I don't like to listen to the radio, because it generally doesn't play anything I like (except the oldies station, which only plays interesting stuff sometimes. And Classical music, which isn't always on. I just heard the Pathetique Sonata in full on the radio yesterday coming home from a road trip, and it made me so happy).

But my mom and dad and sister do, so I'm often forced to, especially if I am trapped in the car with them. So if I heard Ozma on the radio, it would be much, much better. But I never hear Ozma on the radio.

[The Other Mike]

ok, I can agree with you there, but it's not because people can't understand their passion or meaning.  The problem with the radio is that the record industry has gotten pretty good at manufacturing trends and manipulating the buying habits of the public.  If Ozma were part of one of these trends then they would sell a million records, but as it is they are at some times an anachronistic band and at others just a slightly odd one.  Ryen's songs tend to sound like (and excuse me if my knowledge of older power-pop is lacking, it's not exactly my area of expertise) Boston or something resembling that style of upbeat, somewhat cheesy but catchy, pop-rock, and Dan's stuff is a bit closer to indie pop (HvH) and kind of quirky rock that I can't really compare to much else out there (Eponine, Straight Flush) because it resembles pop, but the melodies are sort of oblique and the structures and influences are non-standard and varied. 

Now if they went with Heartache for the single, they might be able to court that indie pop demographic, but it seems that the record label wants the bigger record sales associated with bands that go for the big, dramatic rock sound (MCR, Fallout Boy, etc) and I don't think that Ozma is going to be able to fit in well enough with that trend that people will buy it.  This is not to say that Ozma is bad at all, they just don't sound enough like the other bands on the radio.  Now, perhaps I'm wrong and they'll be at the forefront of a new trend in radio, but I dunno.

[pygmy twylyte]

great post.
although i earlier stated most people who would like ozma dont listen to the radio, which i still think is accurate, its definitely possible that they could be put on the radio and be well-received.  however, they wouldnt have a devoted fanbase the way that they currently do.
they are a poppy/catchy band, but have enough quirks and distinguishable traits to be unique.  i think thats why their current fans listen.  i guess record companies, MTV, etc could decide to try to make ozma a big thing, and probably make some money from it.  but judging by their outlook, i think ozma would prefer to do what theyve always done, and get a bigger following, rather than make some money from airplay.

aside from that, if ozma were put on the radio, they would be thrown in with bands like fallout boy and my chemical romange.  i would want to slam my head into my desk if a band i love as much as ozma was associated with that music.

its just like the interview on the rock and roll part 3 extras.  ryen said he loved having people from around the world say how much they loved the album.  i think ozma would stick with that approach rather than score a hit or two.

[gloom-glaam]

its just like the interview on the rock and roll part 3 extras.  ryen said he loved having people from around the world say how much they loved the album.  i think ozma would stick with that approach rather than score a hit or two.

Because if they had a hit, they wouldn't have fans from all around the world. And if they had a hit, those people wouldn't tell Ozma how much they loved them?

[pygmy twylyte]

well, i guess i should have finished that quote.

he said he loved having people from all around the world say how much they love the album, and that he would much rather do that than be a one hit wonder or have some hits on KROQ.

i think if they just had a hit or two it would be different from having a savvy fanbase that bought, listened to, and loved their albums.  fair?  also, from that interview, i think ryen was saying something along the same lines.

[Not Jason]

i think ozma would prefer to do what theyve always done, and get a bigger following, rather than make some money from airplay.

Well, I'd have to answer this with a resounding "huh?"

If Ozma was content at the way things were going a few years back, they probably wouldn't have broken up, and if the idea of mainstream success was not appealing to them, they probably wouldn't have signed to a semi-major label and custom tailored a few songs specifically for radio play.  Forgive me if I sound cynical, or if this is working to destroy some overly idealized version of the band, but it seems to be an apt point.  Now, I'm not saying Ozma does not like or prefer their old grassroots tactics of winning fans.  In fact, I'd agree they'd be wise to continue to embrace those tactics into the future.  I do not believe this runs counter to their obvious attempts at mainstream success.  You can do both at once.  You also say that the quality of fans they will receive from radio play will be lower.  In general, this might be the case.  If they got a big single, there would be a lot of people who would enjoy that song, but never really follow the band beyond that.  But you gotta figure that kind of thing happens anyway.  Some kid who saw them open for Weezer back in the day might think their tetris cover is awesome and never bother to buy a record.  But the way I figure, if you expose it to a large enough demographic, they might get a lot of superficial fans, but some of them are bound to become real fans.  How many people here enjoy Nada Surf?  How many of you first heard them on the radio or MTV?  Hell, I count myself as a Harvey Danger fan, and I wouldn't have ever heard them without the radio.  In either example, you could argue their ridiculous success off single tracks actually sort of hurt them overall, but in both cases, it won them loyal fans.  Besides, I think both of those bands are rather extreme cases of overplaying that are unlikely to happen to Ozma.

This won't surprise anyone, but I agree with most of what Mike's said so far, regarding them not really fitting in with any real movement right now.  Again, I don't think this is bad, but typically bands need to ride on the wave of some sort of trend to get big, and I'd wonder about how likely it is that they could really get huge off the material the label seems to be pushing.  I mean, as much as I love things like the first Weezer record, I don't even think you could market that these days.  It just wouldn't fit in between the other things on the air.

[Not Jason]

Oh, and I suppose Weezer must have been too obvious an example for me to even think of it.  I'm not trying to start another pointless argument about the last three Weezer records, but let's just pretend for a moment that they don't and never did exist.  That leaves us with Blue and Pinkerton.  Pinkerton was a supposed commercial flop, whatever, I still remember that shit getting PLENTY of airplay back in the day with "The Good Life", which was for me, quite a memorable single that managed to sell me on the band in an era when I did not have access to underground music.  Now, tell me that those two records were not jam packed with sincerity and passion.  And I, as a casual music fan, responded to that, and it served as a gateway into more obscure, non-radio music.

Like I said before though, I think if you sent an album like Blue to radio stations today, it would just end up in a free bin in the lobby after six months of collecting dust in a locked closet.  It's just a completely different movement now.

[VanSlegr Fan]

oddly, i once again find myself agreeing with Not Jason. i think Weez fit in b/c it was catchy powerpop that was a total change from the Nirvana/Smashing Pumpkins/etc craze of 94. it was a break from the norm in the same way that Nirvana was a break from the norm of 89 with the hair-metal craze. in the same respect i can see an argument both for and against Ozma breaking into the mainstream by being different from the MCR/Fallout Boy <and on a side note turning the radio off worked wonders, i have yet to hear a MTC song, and ive only heard the "falling apart at halftime" FB song>. id love to see it, but regrettably, yes, i can't see it being marketed right.

someone else on this board pointed to Nada Surf also as being a GREAT band that doesn't sound at ALL like "Popular" would lead u to believe they sounded like. and i for one can say i've considered myself a NS fan for years, each album grows upon listens.

inkerton was a supposed commercial flop, whatever, I still remember that shit getting PLENTY of airplay back in the day with "The Good Life",

wow, i never once <and STILL haven't> heard a Pink song on the radio, i never even knew Pinkerton was out till 97 when freinds told me to listen to it, since i was a total Weezer freak, off just Blue and Suzanne off Mallrats. sorry ok no more Weez talk.

[Not Jason]

Well, see, here's where I think you're wrong...

Weezer was a very natural progression for mainstream rock.  Yes, it was different from Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins (who, to be fair, didn't really break the mainstream very long before Weezer did.  They were both enjoying their peak success at the same time), but it wasn't all that different.  Really, if you yank out billy's vocals, "Today" could pass as an early Weezer song.  It's different, but not that different.  and SP wasn't that much different from Nirvana, who really wasn't all that different from The Pixies, who were more successful than people like to remember.  Also, Sonic Youth enjoyed mainstream success all through the 80s, and they had a lot in common with Nirvana too.  Fuck, Weezer even did a hell of a Pixies cover, proving that across that entire progression, the difference wasn't insurmountable.  Weezer shaped mainstream rock to follow, until eventually it gradually morphed into something else.  Radio is rarely rarely ever that shocking and jarring.

Ozma, however, is vaguely comparable to what that's currently successful?  Anything?  Not really.  With few exceptions, you need to ride on some current wave.

[VanSlegr Fan]

one more note - the bass line in Only In Dreams is very similiar to the Pixies song off Doolittle, I Bleed. , i always thought that it was a tribute to the Pixies.

[I Like Ozma]

darn you weezer, you again have found a way to overtake another beautiful ozma thread...

[funwithsponges]

Wait, so what is the main reasoning behind saying "Most people who would like Ozma don't listen to radio"?  I mean, besides typical mainstream radio bashing, complete with references to popular bands that indie kids like to rip on.

Seriously, is there any proof at all of that?  Or are we just saying "Well, most of the kids on the OOF don't like radio, and they all like Ozma, and most people who do like radio, well they like ______, which isn't at all like Ozma, so I guess Ozma is fucked"?

Now the point brought forth by Mike about Ozma not really fitting in...agree and disagree.  One song that fits in will get people to buy the album, or at least to download the album, and maybe they will like more songs.  Getting their name out there is more important than anything at this point.

[Not Jason]

Well, I don't think the radio would hurt Ozma.  I think if they get a song on the radio, it could only possibly help them, regardless of how different it is from other popular bands of the moment.  The thing is, given how different it is, I don't know that it could possibly get enough play to have that happen in the first place.  I don't think I'm ripping on anyone by saying that there are certain trends that almost everything on the radio seems to fit in with to at least some degree.  I think somebody could hear Ozma mixed in with this type of programming, find it appealing, and become a fan, but I wonder about how likely it is that it would get the frequent play necessary, given the fact that they don't really strike me as marketable (which is not an insult, mind you).

[Oatmeal]

Wait, so what is the main reasoning behind saying "Most people who would like Ozma don't listen to radio"?  I mean, besides typical mainstream radio bashing, complete with references to popular bands that indie kids like to rip on.

Seriously, is there any proof at all of that?  Or are we just saying "Well, most of the kids on the OOF don't like radio, and they all like Ozma, and most people who do like radio, well they like ______, which isn't at all like Ozma, so I guess Ozma is fucked"?

Now the point brought forth by Mike about Ozma not really fitting in...agree and disagree.  One song that fits in will get people to buy the album, or at least to download the album, and maybe they will like more songs.  Getting their name out there is more important than anything at this point.

I think it depends on location. Some places have horrible radio. It would not be likely that people who like ozma would like it in those area's. I'm not the person to try to be indie so that it crowds my thinking to be open minded, but seriously the radio in my area is better now but before they just would not play that much stuff that enjoyed. I do not enjoy wannabe "hardcore music", "overly emotional" or most country, and hip hop. Simply put.

[Rome]

PS: Would you guys stop arguing with words?

Best complaint ever.

I just heard the Pathetique Sonata in full on the radio yesterday coming home from a road trip, and it made me so happy).

The first half of the first movement is Samuel. I don't care for the other half, nor the other 2 movements.
That's cool they played the entire thing though. How long did it take? Like 20 minutes?

[lit]

I just heard the Pathetique Sonata in full on the radio yesterday coming home from a road trip, and it made me so happy).

The first half of the first movement is Samuel. I don't care for the other half, nor the other 2 movements.
That's cool they played the entire thing though. How long did it take? Like 20 minutes?

I can't remember, but it was probably that long. It might have been shorter if they skipped the repeats. It didn't seem very long to me.

[beni]

wouldn't it be a better world with more good music and less crap on the radio?

[VanSlegr Fan]

wouldn't it be a better world if everyone TURNED THE RADIO OFF! i have no clue whatsoever what new bands are being played on the radio and i am thrilled.

[heysarahsarah]

wouldn't it be a better world if everyone TURNED THE RADIO OFF! i have no clue whatsoever what new bands are being played on the radio and i am thrilled.

Nah, non-commercial radio is still fucking awesome, lets not lump everything together man.