Reward the brave, the new, the interesting…

Image by Pablo Moran Jr. via FlickrThe last few months have seen some really inspired ideas from bands – bands recognizing that the best way to engage with audiences is to do what you do best as an artist i.e. be creative. And we’re not just talking about NIN and Radiohead here –

How about Escape Act’s incremental release of their new album via various prominent Irish music blogs? Or Deerhoof releasing their first song ON SHEET MUSIC and asking their fans to perform it. Hell, check out the entire roster of CashMusic.org for some amazing new ways of making music mean more to fans.

White Denim’s offer of a $29.99 subscription where you’re peppered with content all year? Check.

Now comes another corker from San Francisco’s Plot Against Rachel. They’re asking their fans and friends, wherever they are in the world, to record a vocal track on their bedroom software to be appended to the final song of their forthcoming full-length. Just go to the site below, download the guide and rough mix, and go wild. Send them the MP3 and you’re in.

Help Plot Against Rachel

Sure, you might say that the last thing you want to do is break out the kazoo and give a song with a 5/4 middle eight a go, and then publish your squeaks for the world to see.

But what do all of these ideas have in common?

If you’re the band, you’re creating a story. If you’re already a fan, if you’re already convinced that this band is someone to keep an eye on, it deepens commitment, band-to-fan interaction and most importantly, draws and keeps attention.

And even if you’re not a fan of the music, you can’t fault acts like these for using the one thing any fan of music wants out of their bands – creativity.