From the Depths CDs Now Available

April 14, 2009 at 12:45 pm · Filed under Hot Off the Presses, posted by


We now have the CD version of the From the Depths “Germinate” recording in stock. They are packaged in letter-pressed gatefold chipboard sleeves, hand-made by the band and their friends. For those who regard ownership of a physical object to be a needless hassle, the download version of the recording is still available, and significantly cheaper.

From the Depths just completed their West Coast tour, which went smashingly, and extend their deep appreciation to everyone who helped them along the way. They expect to return to the road in autumn.

b. traven said,

April 16, 2009 @ 4:44 pm

Here’s an interview with From the Depths in a Bulgarian zine:

http://diy.aresistance.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=174&Itemid=78

Mikeisfree said,

June 12, 2009 @ 8:55 am

If crimethinc is against capitalism, why are they using revolution to SELL CDs?!

Mikeisfree said,

June 13, 2009 @ 11:49 am

My previous comment left no reply so I’ve decided to make one myself. As quoted on page 258 of “Days of War Nights of Love”

“We catagorically deny all rumors that there is or ever has been a division of Crimethinc. that functions as a record label. To permit such an inherently capitalist project to take place under the auspices of our revolutionary program would be absurdly hypocritical. And in case it should ever happen that someone finds evidence that such a thing exists, we declare in advance that the involved parties have all been expelled from the collective and their department declared apocryphal.”

Now it may not be directly declared anywhere that by selling CDs on the site Crimethinc. is taking part in having a functioning record label, but isn’t the selling of such material still hypocritical in itself? Sure, call me out on this question as being trivial or say that bickering about the clarity of the idea of a “record label” makes my politics “boring as fuck,” but I would truly like to know. Also in the earlier quote, how can one be “expelled from the collective” if Crimethinc. is supposably “not a membership organization?!”

ret marut said,

June 13, 2009 @ 11:30 pm

Mike–You’re absolutely right, selling CDs–or books, or anything!–is hypocritical. (You can read more about hypocrisy starting on p. 127 of the book you quote above.) Unfortunately, CrimethInc. is hypocritical–hence the “Inc.” to distinguish it from crimethink, which is the really important thing. CrimethInc. itself is only a flawed vessel.

Under the current conditions, it’s hard to convey the possibilities of an alternate way of living without compromising. One might hijack a radio station or printing press–or simply steal CDRs to give away–but one risks getting caught, which is itself “compromising,” to make a double entendre. Selling books and CDs and so on alongside such other activity, to make sure radical possibilities are conveyed as far and wide as possible and in as many formats as possible, is a compromise, too, but then again not using those forms is as well. One can simply live as an example, and many of us aspire to, but unfortunately that is very difficult without some buying and selling. The fact is, until we’re able to pull off some kind of massive social upheaval, everything is going to be a compromise, and it is simply a question of which compromises you think are most effective or worthwhile in terms of producing the possibility of social change.

There are lots of paradoxes in revolutionary struggle–otherwise we would have won already, I fear. CrimethInc. not being a membership organization, and simultaneously being kicked out of itself for selling CDs, is only the least of those paradoxes, and perhaps the least important.

The point is, anyway, don’t trust CrimethInc. Don’t put your faith in it. Don’t look to it as another standard of righteousness. Hopefully you can do something more beautiful, more honest, more purely anti-capitalist than anything ever accomplished under the CrimethInc. banner. Good luck.

[P.S.: If it makes you feel any better, I've asked around, and thus far it seems the CDs are something like $3500 short of ever breaking even. So maybe if it counts as capitalism, it only counts as really ineffective capitalism!]

Mikeisfree said,

June 15, 2009 @ 6:38 pm

Yes compromises are necessary, but some compromises are more effective and necessary than others. Selling Cd’s of frustrated radicals is an unnecessary compromise that gets us nowhere. It simply “sponsors” a certain kind of music or a certain kind of image that only serves to misrepresent the diversity of us all. Compromises are put in place to benefit BOTH sides. We are not benefited by playing “their” game. They are benefited by us not playing our own. The point I’m trying to make is that we can ALL do better!

straightfromtheinside said,

July 9, 2009 @ 11:19 pm

Hey Mikeisfree, don’t your read the stuff on From The Depths’ website? It’s pretty clear:

“The band paid $3100 to record the album, and mastering cost another several hundred dollars. Presuming that at least 1000 people are interested in the record, we’re requesting that people donate $4 in return for downloading it. If you have particular access to resources, consider donating more to cover those who have less; to do so, simply increase the number in the “Quantity” column of your order. As soon as the recording and mastering expenses are covered, we’ll make downloading free; thus any donation goes towards making this available to everyone. If you can help the band break even on the costs of recording, that will also help them to play more benefit shows so as to contribute more than music to the public.

We recognize that not everyone has the means to donate money or download music via the internet. From the Depths is also selling a CD version on a sliding scale, and hope to be able to make downloading free shortly. Ideally, everything would be free; unfortunately, until there is a revolution, recording will cost money, and the band is asking you to help pay for this so they can put their personal money into community projects and prisoner support. If there’s absolutely no way you can make a donation over the internet or order the CD from us, email booking@fromthedepths.info to figure something out.”

“Our hope is that donations for downloading the music will cover the costs of recording, so when people buy the CDs from us we will be able to donate the extra money to political prisoner support. We just came back from a tour to the West Coast of the US, which was the first time we’ve made money on a tour, and we are talking about who we should donate the money to. We have several friends in prison now and others waiting for trial, and as repression increases in this country that situation is only going to get worse.”
Where’s the hypocrisy in this?

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