Jill Sobule, the singer who made that annoying assed I Kissed A Girl song a few years back that still manages to pop up in horrible horrible places is begging for cash. Read this from her website:
Thanks, mom. So, last November I sent out a letter toying with the idea of recording a fan-funded CD. It would be a sort of patronage thing, where you guys are the Medici family, except I give you prizes for donations of certain amounts. Here’s what I’ve come up with:
- $10 – Unpolished Rock (but with potential) Level: A free digital download of the album, when it’s released.
- $25 – Polished Rock Level: An advance copy of the CD. Weeks before the masses.
- $50 – Pewter Level: An advance copy and a “Thank You” on the CD.
- $100 – Copper Level: All the above, plus a T-shirt saying you’re a junior executive producer on the album.
- $200 – Bronze Level: Free admission to my shows for 2008.
- $250 – Silver Level: All the above, plus a membership to the “Secret Society Producer’s Club,” which means you’ll get a secret password to a website where I’ll post some rough tracks, or… something worthwhile.
- $500 – Gold Level: This is where it gets good! At the end of my CD, I’ll do a fun instrumental track where I’ll mention your name and maybe rhyme with it. And if you don’t want your name used, you can give me a loved one’s instead. What a great gift!
- $750 – Gold Doubloons Level: Exactly like the gold level, but you give me more money.
- $1,000 – Platinum Level: How would you like to have a theme song written for you? I’ll have a song you can put on your answering machine and show off. Again, this could be a gift.
- $2,500 – Emerald Level: Mentioned as an executive producer of the album — whoop-di-doo!
- $5,000 — Diamond Level: I will come and do a house concert for you. Invite your friends, serve some drinks, bring me out and I sing. Actually, this level is a smart choice economically. I’ve played many house concerts where the host has charged his guests and made his money back. I’d go for this if I were you.
- $10,000 – Weapons-Grade Plutonium Level: You get to come and sing on my CD. Don’t worry if you can’t sing – we can fix that on our end. Also, you can always play the cowbell.
I basically want to come up with $75,000 for recording and other related costs. I’ll keep up you up to date on the tally (like the Jerry Lewis Telethon) and once I arrive at my goal, I’ll show you where the money is going… Atlantic City! No, I promise to make you all a great record, with your help.
As you know I’m ALL for the new mostly internet model for album distro. I mean, most people use MP3 players only and DL most of their shit. However, begging for money from fans under the guise of doing a ‘fan record’ is just sad.
She clearly has blown all her money from the song, which is ludicrous. There are people who were one hit wonders in teh ’70′s who are still living off those royalties.
Also, she clearly makes about $100 a show when she tours or else she’d be able to make this back no problem.
Lemme put it this way, when I was 16 years old in a band that few outside of the midwest knew of, we were making over $1000/show and in some extreme cases $2000. It really isn’t that hard to make some scratch and with a hit song she should be banking. Sad.
That being said, I feel a bit sad for her and you should probably toss her a $10.
Oh and on a side note, I could record a complete album with pro-level production for just a shade of $0 on my computer. I guess her producer buddy charges a bit more than me though. 
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