Keep Taking The Tablets

Artrockers,

The musicians we write about have long come to terms with the new digital distribution model, iTunes rules the roost, make no mistake, and the heated discussions about physical versus digital have largely ceased. This is the new world for music sales - live with it, and maybe manufacture a few physical copies for the press and for the band to give to their mum and dad. We watched the bonfire of the cocaine vanities and, despite initial misgivings, declared it to be good thing. They were washed away by a new austerity long before the present Euro-dive.

Those who failed to learn the lesson have gone by the board.

So it would be pretty dumb of us to ignore the inevitable and declare that Artrocker would continue to live according to the old model. Thanks to tablet technology magazines and books now face the same challenge that musicians have adapted to, magazines are now being bought digitally via Newsstand, Kindle etc. Of course, physical magazines are still flying off the shelves, including Artrocker, and long may that continue.

But there is a difference between digital music and digital publications. With a digital magazine you still have the thing in your hand via a tablet. The packaging remains and is in fact enhanced, with an iPad edition the magazine positively glows at you. And you can do wonderful interactive stuff with an iPad edition, more depth, videos and music all there at the tap of a screen. Unlike the music experience digital actually makes magazines better, allowing us to do all the things we've only been able to dream of hitherto fore.

So we learned from the music experience that screaming at the waves will not discourage the tide, if you don't move the picnic basket your sandwiches will soon be fish food.
Unlike the music experience we embrace and welcome the digital as a wonderful opportunity to make a better product because, unlike MP3s the result isn't lo-fi, just the opposite.

And you don't have to trot down to the shops to get it, you can have it NOW, wherever you are - Ping...and there it is.

Never mind an analogue bubble bath, the digital water is lovely, come and join us.

Tom Artrocker