Catching Up With… Jonathan Coulton
Although the music blogosphere isn’t fawning over him, Jonathan Coulton is one of the most successful truly independent recording artists ever. He cultivated a devoted web following by offering his music for free on his website and he has an abundant knack for melding pop melodies with comedy. After the success of his ambitious Song a Week project, Coulton wrote the song “Still Alive” for Portal and secured his cult status
Paste: This is the first time you’re releasing content that’s only available for sale, right?
Jonathan Coulton: That’s a new thing for me. It’s actually, it is a bit of an experiment, I will admit. You know, I have wanted to do a concert DVD for awhile, just because I’m very proud of how the live show turned out, because I’ve only recently in my life begun actually playing live. So, it’s definitely something that I wanted to do for a while. I like the way the live shows go. I like the way the live versions of the songs are different from the studio versions. And, video is a little bit behind audio, I think, as far as people being able to acquire it digitally and having the devices to watch it on. People still buy DVDs more so than people still buy CDs.
Paste: Have you had to deal with a DVD distributor, or is it being released independently through your website?
Coulton: It is being released through a distributor, and that again was my choice, sort of an experiment. Having done so much distribution myself over the internet, I am aware that there are plenty of people in the world who buy their entertainment at stores. And so a distributor is one way for me to very easily get into that. I’m also tired of having boxes and boxes of things in my house.
Paste: Has dealing with a big corporation for the first time affected your process here, or did you just deliver the content and let ‘em have at it?
Coulton: I’m just basically delivering the content. The only thing that has changed is the actual process of getting ready to release it, because this is not just a video you can make and throw up on YouTube and then you’re done. So, there’s a press push that we’re doing, and then after that it’s gotta get into the catalogs so that wholesalers can buy it, so that retailers can have access to it. That whole supply chain needs to be fed. And that takes a little time. So yeah, it’s taken a little getting used to, but as far as the content goes, no that’s still been all me. Nobody else, really, had any say in what goes on with things. It’s kinda nice… kinda.
Paste: How big was the audience you recorded with? I know from personal experience how widely your crowds can vary.
Coulton: It’s a place called the Great American Music Hall, and that holds about 400 people, and it was a sold-out show. Four hundred and change. But it’s a beautiful room. It’s an old theater, and the sound’s great. And the vibe in there is so nice, especially being in San Francisco which is one of those cities that, for whatever reason, my fan base is strongest in. I was nervous about it because it was such a one-shot deal. I was spending all this money getting all these cameras set up, and then we were just doing this one show. So I really hoped it would be good, and uh…
Paste: It turned out okay?
Coulton: Yeah, it turned out great. It was one of those great shows where there’s a lot of crosstalk with the audience and sort-of running gags that invent themselves throughout the evening.
Paste: I’ve heard that you don’t play in New York too often because the shows just don’t sell nearly as well as when you’re playing in the West coast. Do you know what that’s about?
Coulton: I don’t know what that’s about. It’s less true now. The last time I played in New York there was a pretty big, excited crowd. New York still does lag behind San Francisco and Seattle and Boston, not that I’m laying any blame you understand. It’s just that these are just the facts. But I think it has a lot to do with the fact that New York is one of those cities where there’s just a lot going on, it’s very difficult to just be a geek and it’s also, I think, the geek factor… New York, and L.A., I think, is the same way: They’re cool cities, you know? And people wanna be cool. And…there are plenty of geeks here, but I think the geeks here do not let their freak flags fly.
Paste: How different does it feel for you when you’re playing in front of a massive audience, like when you had your sold out show at the PAX Expo, versus when you’re playing over at Joe’s Pub in New York?
Coulton: Oh yeah, it’s very different. I mean, that PAX show was the biggest audience I’ve ever played for. I think they said there were maybe 8,000 people in there. And that was a big, big number. I get very different things from crowds of those different sizes. The thing that I like about a smaller crowd, several hundred, is that I can actually hear what individual people are saying, and so when people shout stupid stuff out, I can respond to it directly. And I enjoy it; I enjoy doing that. Even as an audience member when I go to see live music, I love when the performer talks to the crowd. That’s why you see live music in my opinion, and so, that’s a really great thing. But the rush that you get when you’re in front of 8,000 people is amazing. I can’t imagine what it must be like for one of those huge arenas. In a way, I’m very spoiled by my niche status. I can parachute into some city and do a show for 400 people who are really excited. And I’m a small enough operation, just me and my goofy guitar and whatever other doo-dads I bring with me, that I can make that a profitable night without having to be on the road for three weeks at a time.