The Defiant Unicorn's Anniversary
by GMM on January 28th 2009, at 23:21 CET

Ugress Unicorn was released exactly one year ago and totally did not what it was supposed to. Some quick observations.

My original plan was to release Unicorn and play extensively live, working on new material and following up with a new album January 2009. This makes sense in a music scene where most bands and artists makes a living from touring and merchandising, not album sales. The live angle was reflected in the track selection for the album, it was weighted towards live performance material.

But I am not typical, as with most of my projects Unicorn has performed completely different from what I expected.

The album quickly brought multiple scoring and production gigs, including writing the theme music gig for a kids TV show. The producers liked the theme enough to ask if I could also do episode music, and suddenly I was immersed in scoring work. The show became a success, and composing and producing the music was a great challenge and even greater fun. The work brought just enough income to pay my bills, and with the show being popular, it is a nice investment in future royalty payoffs.

This made it challenging to tour as much as I had planned, we had to cut back on live dates. It also made it impractical to release Ugress 4 on intended schedule. These setbacks didn't really matter in the larger scope of things. I enjoy studio time, writing music for film and TV is perhaps even more fun than touring.

The album has sold approx. 1100 physical copies, and slightly more digital items. This brings total album sales thoroughly past 2000, which I am satisfied with. It is twice my expectations for the first year. The number would have been much higher if we toured.

I never read reviews, music blogs and the like, neither regarding my own nor others music. But I understand from my crew that the album, as usual, received a wide spectre of reviews.

Statistically, Redrum is the most popular track of the album, with Kommisär Kontemporär and Regression 22 as runner ups. The Ultimate Fix is the least popular track, by far, which I understand. Harakiri Martini is also surprisingly unpopular for purchase, but not as a free download.

However, the Harakiri Martini music video is by far my most popular music video, after going viral in Asia it has totalled almost half a million views.

There is still only one person to solve the secret album cover riddle.

I conclude the album to be a success, but absolutely totally not in any way I planned or imagined.

 

 
Permalink  |  Tags: status, unicorn, ugress, anniversary


Comments:
#1, by Nicolaj on January 29th 2009, at 14:24
congrats!! Unicorn really is a great album.
I don't get the stats however.... I would have guessed on far better sales.... i mean that is what you deserve :-)

and about the tracks.... I don't get that either. The Ultimate Fix is by far one of the best tracks in my oppinion.

How did Resound do saleswise?

/Nicolaj

#2, by bjorn on January 29th 2009, at 17:30
For the sake of your fans and the love of GOD please do more touring!! .. ok, at least for the sake of your fans ;-)

#3, by mrhen on January 29th 2009, at 23:36
Yeah, I gave up on the secret album cover riddle way back when I did not feel like parsing all of the random information in the album cover. I suppose I should go dig them out again...

#4, by ØL on January 30th 2009, at 10:27
I gave up one the riddle myself. I enjoy a good puzzle now and then, but this did'nt go well. Anyhow. This album still get some amazing playcount on my iPod. I'm surprised it's been out 1 year allready. Time flies

#5, by Immortal Ping on January 30th 2009, at 15:40
i noticed both among my friends and your internet fans a major disagreement regarding which is your best track. i myself changed my mind for several times, starting with Decepticons, changing to Atlantis CG Corruption, then to Necromagnon, than to Monochromatic World, then to Battle 22, then to Zombie Eagles and so on and on. I still haven't made up my mind

So, i guess you should feel pretty good about you, it's not often for an artist to produce constantly debated work :)

and,yes, please do some touring.

#6, by Wouter on January 30th 2009, at 16:55
Unicorn was not my favourite ugress cd but i keep coming back to quite a few of the tracks though. Definately agree on the Ultimate fix thing. Failed to grow and Regression 22 are my favourites. The 22 series is awesome in general by the way.

I'd love to see you diving in darker more cinematic stuff again for the next one but whatever the style, i can't wait for the new one.

Is there an estimated time frame for the next cd?

#7, by GMM on January 30th 2009, at 23:08
#1 Nicolaj, Resound has sold way beyond 30 000 items. To compare, Cinematronics has sold approx 10 000 items and Unicorn 2000.

So sales-wise, graphically, this is a very steep curve of declining sales. I wouldn't mind the opposite (increasing sales figures) but the way things are working out for me is much better (to me at least ) than some of the directions I was facing after releasing Resound. I took some decisions that inevitably would, and will, result in low sales figures. But I get to do what I want, not what others want :)

#8, by GMM on January 30th 2009, at 23:09
#2, #3, regarding the riddle. It is hard but not deadly hard. I just think, for a lot of people, they are looking in the wrong places. Especially those with physical copies. Have you looked EVERYWHERE?


#9, by GMM on January 30th 2009, at 23:12
#5 Monsieur Ping, thanks, yes, I notice the same myself, it is impossible to know what people will think of the tracks. I like to think it is a good thing, but I don't know for sure.

And people's taste change over time, at the beginning (with Resound) Spiderman and Loungemeister was the most attractive tracks from Resound, but now (2007/2008) it is Atlantis and Reason.


#10, by GMM on January 30th 2009, at 23:14
#6 Wouter, I cannot promise anything, but I profoundly share your wish for a darker and more cinematic Ugress 4.


#11, by vonux on January 31st 2009, at 18:15
Dark and cinematic? Yay! :)



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