This is New Wisco Weekend. I'm Lisa Hale your host. You can call this one a real David
versus Goliath type story. The little guy taking on big business, was content-based musician
Brett Newske is standing up for something he believes in and Terry Barr joins us to share
why he hopes it leads others to do the same. Terry, why did he decide to take on what he calls
a scam in the music industry? Lisa Brett Newske travels the world. He's sold thousands of albums
and he has a brand new one coming out in May. Now, when I sat down to talk with him, he decided
he will no longer offer his music on any streaming services. Here's why. Spotify is an amazing
tool. We'll just use that as an example. Obviously, there's tons of streaming services, but that's
kind of the overlord. I mean, amazing tool. It's the best thing ever invented for a lot of listeners
would agree. It can be neat for bands if you can kind of crack that top, you know, half a percent
and like kind of be in the mix, be at the top of the algorithm. Then you can gain you some
fan and pretty quickly, but for the great, great majority of artists, it kills you. And this is
coming from someone who's tried to have faith in the model for a long time. We've put a lot of
money into Spotify as far as advertising, hiring promoters because that's what people tell you.
That's kind of the narrative. It's like, you got it. You got to crack the algorithm. You got to
crack Spotify. And you know, you start to do the math. And it's like, well, damn, we just released
this record 100,000, 200,000 people listen to it. That's a lot of people. That's a couple giant
stadiums. So we're getting a check for $271 like we can't even put on a show for that. So it's very
abusive. It has been for a long time. I don't have an answer yet, but one little pushback that's
a brand new experiment that's four days in for our band has worked really nice just selling it
directly to people, physical vinyl CD digital. Once you put a record on streaming, it's virtually
useless in my opinion. Is that amount you mentioned to 70 or something? Is that the most you've probably
ever made on any streaming services? You get royalty checks all the time. And yeah, I mean,
you'll get streaming checks for 40 bucks. We'll get streaming checks for two cents. We'll get
streaming checks for $91. It's all over the place. It just doesn't it doesn't work for us and it
works for almost nobody. How do you feel knowing that people still are willing to say, okay, forget it.
We like your music. We're going to buy these physical things that we can have in our hand. We're
going to buy your merch. We're going to come to your show. That's still what it's all about, isn't it?
I've been able to make a living for the past 10 or 12 years. So there is that circle that inner
circle that will pay for things and that's the only reason I'm still in the game. I think it's
just a matter of really educating the public. We're in this this new world where one person has a good
idea for an app and it obliterates an industry and all of a sudden they have a billion dollars and
everyone else has to give their stuff away for free in exchange for exposure or whatever it is.
So I think people are generally really sweet kind caring. If they believe in something,
I think they want to support it. They just don't know how. I think we'll start to see some
movements like this one, but hopefully from like Justin Vernon or somebody with a little more
reach. We got to educate the public to buy art if you believe in it, you know.
I read that Brian Richie with the violent fams says something on the order of I like the way
he is forcing the world to contend with him. That's strong. What kind of responses have you
been getting from people? A lot from music fans, but also artists, you know, are the ones that
really jump out at me. They're kind of inspired to do the same thing. Now it's so new, like nobody
really releases records and doesn't put them on streaming. I think that this will be a thing
that happens a lot soon. This is a nice litmus test to have musicians start to stick out for
themselves because musicians are for lack of a better word. I don't know, just sensitive and
don't stick up for themselves. You know, we get pushed around. We've heard the narrative for so
long that music is free or this exposure is going to be great. It's why the industry is feasted
on the hopes and dreams of people for so long because because we're big dreamers. Do you still love
it? Do you still have the dream? I love it. Yeah, I'm still obsessed with it. I still wake up
pretty pumped to get up in the morning most days. Yeah, it's my burnout is short lived.
This is a big stand Lisa and one of the first by a small independent artist.
If you want to support him, go to his website Bret Newski. It's spelled B-R-E-T-T-N-E-W-S-K-I.
Bret Newski.com. And here's just a taste of a song from his new album being released in May.
It's bitter end of the beginning and again this is by Bret Newski.
I'm just getting started on the bitter end of the beginning,
the beginning. I'm just getting started on the bitter end of the beginning,
the beginning.
I'm just getting started on the bitter end of the beginning.
And it's only getting better, do you think it is?
I'm just getting started on the bitter end of the beginning,
the beginning. I'm just getting started on the bitter end of the beginning.
Thank you for being a part of New Esco Weekend.
A look at Scams and how to protect yourself against them.
New Esco Weekend is produced and written by Terry Barr and Lisa Hale.
Our executive producer is Todd Michaels directed by Lisa Hale.
League Correspondent is Terry Barr with features from Joanne Croulette, Conrad Krieger,
Britney Merlot, and Pete Schwabba. Our commentator is Amanda Nimmer.
If you have a story you'd like to hear covered,
please email me anytime at lisa.hale at civicmedia.us.
I'm civic media Northeast Wisconsin Bureau Chief Lisa Hale for WISS and WGBW News.
Be unstoppable.
