I started That Million Dollar Bash a bit over a year ago to create my own place to do things the best way I knew how. The media space for creative music coverage was shrinking, and at the same time the foresight and appetite of the music industry to engender this work was also in sharp decline.
It was difficult but ultimately liberating to let go of the expectations that the magazine, newspaper, manager or record label would call to commission a well-paid assignment. The lines are always open, but I simply don’t see the work out there anymore from where it was pre-2020.
I keep my work going because it’s necessary; there’s real music happening outside of the fame-o-sphere and I’m compelled to understand and engage with it.
In 12 months, this Substack and the social media posts it begat have connected with at least half a million eyeballs. We’ve even reached as many as 100,000 music fans through a single post alone by sharing what we do back with the artists we champion.
The independent work created here has found further resonance and purpose as well:
An image from January’s coverage of Winter Jazzfest is the cover of Makaya McCraven’s double LP Off The Record:
A photo from March’s Big Ears Festival coverage leads a print feature on Tortoise in MOJO Magazine:
And images from Big Ears coverage also grace the rear cover of the limited-edition vinyl release Joyful Noise Players: Live at Big Ears.
Paid subscribers represent only a 1.1% sliver of our total readership, and that revenue falls short of covering our basic overhead of cameras, computers, software, insurance and a workspace, not to mention the many hours of research, shooting, editing, writing and sharing that go into each feature post.
What would make a huge difference is a few more folks coming aboard as contributing subscribers. If you feel like you or your friends or your industry or your community benefit something from it, I would deeply appreciate your support.
In the spirit of ‘Blech’ Friday (through Indigestion Saturday, Eat While Watching Sports Sunday, Cy-Bore Monday and Give-Me-A-Break Tuesday) I’m offering some DEALS.
$42/ year (normally $60) - Hop on as a ANNUAL MEMBER (or give a gift subscription).
$160/year (normally $200)- Become a FOUNDING MEMBER i.e. a full subscription AND a signed print and other goodies!
You can also MAKE a ONE-TIME DONATION of any amount.
We are 100% fueled by obstinacy and the desire to visually retransmit great music. We are non-billionaire-owned, anti-celebrity-chasing independent media.
There ain’t no taint of Bezos, Bari, chat GPT, Suno, Ross Douthat or ICE recruitment ads around here!
THANK YOU to the friends, family, and colleagues in the music biz/arts ecosystem who recognize the efforts and back us up.
THANK YOU to the top-shelf Substack writers/critics and who recommend TMDB to their readers. I’m proud to be in your company.
THANK YOU to the fellow music obsessives who let me share my experiences with you.
THANK YOU to the musicians who have let me into their worlds to create these images.
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