A St. Petersburg Split: “Rollercoaster” & “The Same But 100 Times Better”

There are several reasons why two bands would want to join forces and record a split EP. By far the most likely among them is economy: two ensembles make one recording and thus share the expenses. If both groups have something resembling a half-decent following, then maybe profits and PR will benefit, too. In the recent case of two bands from St Petersburg, money is indeed the cause – which leads us to suggest that a large fan base is not, unfortunately, at hand. Their documented hits at MySpace range from 6,000 – 8,000, though, which is nothing to sneeze at. And so we have a new recording from a couple of ensembles, which – despite its happy appearance – is published against the backdrop of some discussions dedicated to fund-raising.

Both of the outfits in question have, in fact, conducted open debates with their fans vis a vis how – on earth! -  to raise more cash. Such is the subject of this post; help is needed on the playing field of the modern music business. The old rules no longer apply and there’s no referee in sight.

As mentioned, both of these groups are from the same city: Rollercoaster (below) and the wonderfully-named The Same But 100 Times Better (above). The former outfit sketches its origins with the following mini-blurb. In – normalized! – English it reads: “One day in September 2008, Evan (the band’s lead guitarist) and Igor’ (on drums) decided to form a group. Later on, Oleg (bass) joined them. After a long search for a second guitarist, the trio known as Rollercoaster also recruited Alexey Cheeseass [an unlikely name...], their old friend from the band ‘Follow the White Rabbit’. And… yeah! Тhe band was actually started in [the southern port of] Rostov-na-Donu – but that’s another story. And not a very interesting one, either. Nowadays [in St. Petersburg] we all get along just fine, whether we’re together or apart. And we’re ready to give you ROCK!” (This opening track is by Rollercoaster; the second is by The Same But 100 Times Better. They then alternate downwards.)

Simple affirmation, on good days, rules the roost. A series of historical mileposts is laid out, at the end of which lies… “Yeah!” Nothing more than affirmation and acceptance. It’s a trusting worldview – that can easily be spoiled. Especially in difficult times, when the world of finance makes everything look black and white. Nuances are sidelined by nastiness.

The same can be said of the other band in question, The Same but 100 Times Better. From the group themselves (again in translation) we hear: “This is an outfit from St Petersburg that plays instrumental music. In their creative work the band members turn to all manner of genres and movements, including post-rock, sludge, indie… and many others. After only six months of existence, the ensemble managed to publish two releases, with the second being [not a net-release, but] on hard media. At the same time, [despite this progress,] they’ve gone through all manner of changes: the drummer has been swapped and two new musicians have appeared, too: now there’s a keyboard player and a violinist, also!”

Once again the role of affect seems more important than the dry logic of long-term planning. But what about those budgetary problems? Shouting down the accountant isn’t really a long-term option.

While the musicians entertain themselves with their favorite UK/US bands (Radiohead, Mogwai, Nine Inch Nails, Deftones, Interpol, and others), they look for inspiration in the realm of banking, too. Rollercoaster turned to their fans this month with a very straightforward question: “How Do We Raise Cash for the Next Recording?” The first suggestion came from a young Russian music lover who clearly sensed that the world of music has turned into a dog-eat-dog environment, where only the fittest will survive. His solution? To attack the property of weaker neighbors: “We need to invade Tajikistan, take the capital Dushanbe hostage and sell it to the Americans!”

A bold, but unlikely option. Skepticism is discernible on the left; despair in the middle; and humor on the right.

“Go work in MacDonalds!” said another fan. That seemed to be the opposite extreme. From unimaginable grandeur and violence (with awful consequences), we’re now offered the chance to don a nasty nylon shirt and work for minimum wage (an option with no consequences).

“Um… excuse me? But where exactly should we send the money?” said somebody. Maybe this was the voice of a genuine sponsor? If so, nobody believed their luck, since the voice went unanswered. And so the awkward combination of dreaming and doubt continued, allowing no room for the calm intrusion of actual assistance. Our emotionally driven musicians – and their admirers, the people who want to emulate them! – flip-flopped between unreasonable hope, and even more dramatic despair.

The pressure was palpable.

“Time to wiggle your butts!” came another prompt. “We’re not sure…” answered the band. “We don’t think that anybody would value our bottoms that highly! And it’s not something we were really considering. (At least not yet…)” Nonetheless, even if in jest, three options were put forward by the members of Rollercoaster: 1. Earn the Money Needed; 2. Take Out a Loan; 3. Sell Our Bodies. Thankfully, Option #3 remained the least popular when it came to voting. Either a moral stand endured or the band – and certain parts of their anatomy – were even less appealing than first thought.

The occasional voice of reason was heard in the distance: “The simplest thing of all would be to play a couple of gigs and set yourselves up as management, too. Get some of your friends to play for free. Hire the club on a percentage basis of the profits. If you sort it all out in a half-decent fashion, you’ll make 15,000 – 20,000 easy! [$500+]. You can put that all towards the cost of an album. I reckon that’s the best and most realistic option.”

Things, perhaps, were looking up?

Sadly, not. Once more, the likelihood of logic and fairness convinced nobody: “I reckon it’d be no less ‘realistic’ to wait for some little men from outer-space to turn up and bring you tons of cash…”

Despite the rudeness, common sense tried one more time: “The most level-headed thing to do would be to borrow 100,000 rubles over a year, or maybe something along the lines of 10,000 a month. You know… any big sum – but spread out over a long period. I think you could pay off that kind of amount. That’ll get you the cash ASAP, but you could always just keep working and save the money up in a bank account! Or go looking for a friend, a relative, some uncle, aunt, grandfather, mother… anybody at all who’s got some money put aside. Borrow it from them – then you’ve got yourself a loan without any interest, even.”

A dizzying number of options.

The band – not given to considered thought – lapsed back into their wholly emotional view of the world. After a few choice expletives, they said: “But what are people supposed to live on???” This was followed by the funniest – and darkest – suggestion of all. Here are four steps, according to which any musician will be able to fund their next CD:

1. Sell Your Kidney; 2. Record an album; 3. Get Rich; 4. Put the Kidney Back.

As the EP’s bestial, brutal cover suggests, together with the chromatic preferences of these last two images, neither Rollercoaster nor The Same But 100 Times Better see the world in terms of fair and measured debate. There are, allegedly, forces at work in the world that leave no room for moral structure: to socialize is to compete, often on crude and unfair terms. Given the belief that the odds are stacked against you, and that financial assistance is as likely as charitable aliens, their remains but one option. To play fast and furiously, before Lady Luck spots you on the horizon – and takes you down with a sizable weapon.

As a result, somewhat paradoxically, it’s precisely because the outlook is so grim that the response from these bands is so loud and insistently affirmative. This six-track, 31-minute EP – as a brief, bold, and noisy statement – embodies a rare and fleeting opportunity to celebrate some kind of free movement, be it musical or monetary. It does not last long; activity must be swift in order to make a lasting impression.

Hence, perhaps, the lack of focus in these last two shots. It values activity over stability – and makes it harder for creditors to recognize your face.

Download music and images from this site to your smartphone!

Go to www.cloudtrade.com and look for us under far_from_moscow