I began my With Just A Hint Of Mayhem journey in 2009. At that time, I had no idea about the future. I never expected that one day I may be writing about what is essentially a porn site. I am talking of OnlyFans. This site was created back in 2016. It was initially a social network. The purpose was to serve as a meeting point between fashion influencers and followers. Its creator, Tim Stokely (a Brit), initially conceived it as a premium content platform. Users paid to see the publications of their celebrity idols. It has grown into a, mostly, soft porn site. It caters to some fetishes and tends to focus where possible on celebrities. However, plenty of ordinary people seem to make money from it. It took off hugely during the COVID-19 pandemic. I can state categorically that I do not have an OnlyFans account and nor am I ever likely to. Not because I have high morals but because no one wants to see a fat old white blokes body. Recently, Lily Allen mentioned that she earns significantly more money selling pictures of her feet on OnlyFans. This income surpasses what she makes on streaming services like Spotify. Check out the screenshot below for more detail and click here to read Drowned In Sound’s’ take on the story.
Since then, Kate Nash has set up an OnlyFans account. This highlights the predicament many artists find themselves in. Nash has said this about her ‘Butts For Tour Buses’ campaign on OnlyFans. “I think it’s bit of a punk protest as a woman to take control of my body and sell it to be able to fund my passion project, which is actually my 18-year career. I want to highlight that, and I want people to talk about it, and I want people to know the truth about what what’s happening in the music business. The only way I could find to make a profit on the tour – you’re either going, hopefully I sell enough T-shirts to cover the debt, or you cut people’s wages, or you fire band and crew, or you travel dangerously. So that leaves me in a position where I’m not profiting from tours. So is this a job, or is it a passion project?” She later said that it was “an important time for women to take control and to feel empowered” The pictures of her derriere that she has posted on OnlyFans so far are revealing but a long way from being explicit. She has also said of the pictures that “I think the arse is the perfect combination of comedy and sexuality” and “I actually like bums. I think they’re just quite great. I think it’s funny. I enjoy taking pictures of my bum. Always been a bit of a flasher. So I’m going to enjoy doing it, and I’m already putting it online anyway.” She has stated that she expects to make more money from her backside than her music, particularly in the short term. Kate has called this protest “as punk as fuck” and I completely agree with her.
Is this right? no of course it isn’t. The music industry needs to wake up and stop being so fucking greedy. It shouldn’t be all about the money for entertainment corporations, but sadly it is. What happened to nurturing artists, supporting them and the grass roots music venues while you are at it! So many talented and upcoming artists are affected by shabby and arrogant treatment by the industry. Remember Little Simz’s lyric from her song ‘Angel’? “They don’t care if your mental is on the brink of somethin’ dark/ As long as you’re cuttin’ somebody’s payslip/ And sendin’ their kids to private school in a spaceship”. That was a sharp and brutal remark directed at music industry executives. Many of them know nothing about music, but they know a lot about ‘product’. What will it take for the industry to change? Sadly, it is likely to take a lot more than Lily Allen’s feet. Even Kate Nash’s arse won’t be enough to change everything, but it is a start. I hope it doesn’t happen, but I can see a distant future where new music never happens. What good will come of that? Well at least the corporations and the misogynist fat cats that ran them will no longer exist. I can’t imagine a life without music so we need to act, and act fast! What can we do? Here are a few thoughts from me, feel free to let me have your views.
• Spread the knowledge of how badly artists are treated and rewarded by streaming companies.
• Boycott artists who don’t share a part of their ticket price to organisations like the Music Venues Trust.
• Reduce your usage of streaming services. Alternatively, stop using them entirely.
• Use Bandcamp more
• Buy more artist merch and physical product.
• Support your local music scene and grass roots venues
• Never buy ridiculously overpriced tickets. Oasis and many festivals for example.
• Never use Viagogo or their dark brotherhood of ticket exchange companies
• Contact your MP and tell them to speak up for artists
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