Underworld freebies

Dance duo are giving away new songs in online broadcast

10 September 2008 - Underworld are following in the steps of Radiohead by giving tracks from their new album away for free.

The band will give away tracks as they are written by playing them on their online radio show, beginning with a broadcast tonight (10 September) live from the Isle of Wight at 8pm with special guest Rob Da Bank.

Speaking exclusively to 6 Music Karl from the band explained why internet releases work so well for the music industry.

“It actually feels like the right medium for an artist to work in,” he said. “We can control when and how to publish everything from a physical release that goes through a shop to, ‘here’s something we made last night on the bus,’ that we put out for free.

“We can make a web radio show or web television shows from the concerts. All of those things enable us to just feel like we’re in a system which suits an artist much better than the old system did.”

It’s been a year since Underworld’s seventh album release Oblivion With Bells but the band have been touring almost solidly for two years to fund their multi-platform output including freebies for fans.

"We can control when and how to publish everything from a physical release that goes through a shop to 'here’s something we made last night on the bus'."

As well as their online broadcasts and videos, online diary, touring and festival performances - Underworld have been appearing as both musicians and artists at art galleries around the world.

At the beginning of August they exhibited at the Jacobson Howard Gallery in New York for eight days to coincide with their concerts in the city.

Last year the band curated their own exhibition in Tokyo where they invited other bands to play alongside them.

They also indulged their love of art by publishing a free monthly art magazine on their website.

With such a busy schedule, Underworld occasionally yearn for less complex times.

Karl explains: “There are some days when Rick and I get up and go; ‘Shall we just like forget all this and write some songs and put some records out?!’ But in truth, we are where we want to be.”

“We’ve always wanted to have this freedom,” he continues. “We’ve always really been outsiders – particularly for the last 18 years. We’ve always been outside of the mainstream way of doing things.

“It’s never suited us to be entirely locked into that. Now we have that choice it feels like home to us. But it is an enormous amount of work!”

Visit www.underworldlive.com to listen to all their online broadcasts.

Juliette Burton