If You Could Design The Official Bunnymen Website

[Fish Hook Girl]

What would you want included?

I've been giving this a lot of thought because of the criticism I directed towards the official website/forum. So I should put my money where my mouth is and put forth some ideas that would make the website bigger and better and greater than anything ever assembled before. Or at least more interesting. Here goes:

- A band biography and individual members' biographies. These can be taken from the inserts in the first four albums, from the Crystal Days booklet, from Wikipedia or from Chris Adams' Turquoise Days book. Or maybe Chris Adams could be commissioned to compose new and more up-to-date biographies.

- A discography complete with lyrics, perhaps modeled on this website.

- A concert log section (see http://www.angelfire.com/wy2/setlists/index.html).

As a side note, I assume both Brian and Kristen (who put together the concert log website) work fulltime. Enough said there.

- Short videos/candid photos that aren't available anywhere else on the web. Like a video (camera phone quality) of Will in the recording studio putting down a guitar track. Or a quick photo of Ian at the Waffle House.

- A wap based website for easy access from those of us who have the web on our cellphones or pdas.

- A section that gives us a tour of Liverpool as seen through the Bunnymen's eyes. Favorite pubs, concert venues, etc.

- Free downloads of instrumentals, demos, stuff that doesn't demand a royalty. Nothing fancy and rotated occasionally.

- A fan section where fans can upload photos of their most favorite Bunnymen item or pictures of themselves with band members.

- An exclusive section where stuff like Ian's handwritten lyrics or Will's catalogue of his guitars could be found.

- A technical section where Will could explain how he achieved the sound on a certain track. Or his review of some technological thing he was experimenting with.


This is just a start. Maybe it's just a waste of time to spell out what we'd want. Maybe not. Maybe someone with some pull would read these ideas. What do you think? What would you want to see?

[withahip]

Just a start?? If the official board took three of your ideas they would be miles (kilometers) ahead where they are now.

[zabird]

lots of good ideas there, Fish Hook Girl.

I have to look at band sites every day as part of my job (I'm a features copy editor) and I can't tell you the number of less than there ones I've come across. On the other hand, I've come across some really cool ones too. Two I like are the Buzzcocks' and the Good, the Bad and the Queen's.

All I ask is that it not be all style and no substance. And not set up to totally tout the latest album. And isn't members only (I ran across one of those on Sunday).

It would be nice if they had a store on it, and if they kept the site up to date as to news, concert dates, etc., and also made sure that the links work, that images and videos don't disappear, etc. Oh, and the biggie ... keep the webmaster up to date.

Maybe post demos of songs they're working on (and be prepared for feedback both good and bad), more band-fan interaction (like question of the week or some such), and maybe post songs off the new album in advance of it going on sale (a la TGTBTQ).

A videography would be nice, plus videos (and change them occasionally).
Photos of band "stuff" (concert posters, old T-shirts, buttons, promo material, etc.)
A "library" of old articles about the band, reviews, etc. List the books about 'em, maybe list all the movies that feature bunnymen songs.

in the end, I guess it boils down to how interested/involved the band is in this endeavor, getting the right person to build and maintain the site, and ponying up the cash to pay for it (warner's, maybe?).

[redgumball]

I am in the same boat FISHHOOK-- shot off me mouth a few times about how behind the Bunnymen site was and how other bands really understand the marketing behind the web. I had suggested things like you've done but always fell on deaf ears.

Looks like they're taking the minimalist approach by only uploading albums to stream. Funny since the core audience of the website already owns all of those and can pull them up on their own iPod and customize their own mixes at the jog of a fly-wheel. Not sure what the goals of the site are, but if they could monteize them -- I am sure the band would pour in more effort and $$$. Right now I think there is a disconnect between a volunteer web master and a indie PR shop with a band who likes to simply make music and not PR and pout.

I think Brian here does a better job of creating a rich historical environment for the fans. It has tabs, images, videos, lots of neat nooks and crannies. If he could get some management support, this thing would rock.

I am always up for pitching in to do something.

[redgumball]

Here's my wish list:

1). Chris Adams content. The dude can write and he's got the Bunnymen passion
2). Day in the life of recording the album (Studio Shots, Random text)
3). How does Ian write songs or how does Will go about messing on the guitar?
4). Embrace the bootleg community like Pearl Jam or Coldplay. Set up subsription service and get paid for all those old shows -- they're being traded anyways.
5). Encourage fan participation in building sections of the site or in contests (design a better Bunnymen shirt).
6). Perspective pieces/interviews (Drummond, Les, Peter Hook, Editors) tie in historical with present. Get others perspectives on Bunnymen history, idolization, and times with the boys.
7). Will's great photos. Personality, man - dig it.
8). Unreleased tracks (If they're demos and free = no royalties)
9). More up-to-date news on things like the charity benefit, the Ocean Rain gig and other stuff I find faster on Google. (No I don't want to know about the band personally, they should, and still can maintain their privacy -- although I see MAC at his daughters birthday by simply Googling his name).
10). Have two web sections - one for new users and one for veteran users. (Monetize existing users by offering memorobilia, educate new users with offering back catalog, educational reading)/
11). Fuck I could go on for days...

[withahip]

http://www.glide-sonic.com/

Ok, this website is better than the official one. . . .and it's not even his main gig.

[zabird]

4). Embrace the bootleg community like Pearl Jam or Coldplay. Set up subsription service and get paid for all those old shows -- they're being traded anyways.

Excellent idea! I think every band should do this.

[Fish Hook Girl]

Hi Redgumball. I'll always remember your "launches in September" posting back in 2005 with great ideas to market Siberia. That was a classic post! Too bad it fell on deaf ears. Maybe if we make enough noise now, someone will listen!

By the way, I'm interested to see the album streaming concept when the new website is available. Didn't Ivan try this back then? What's the point now, especially with personal mp3 players?

[blinkilite]

i think these are all great ideas... and i would love to see a lot of them come to fruition... but the problem i see is time and money. brian does a great job with his site for free. i think peter does a damn good job too... but if the band/mgmt/record label got behind this i think it could be that much better!

i am a web designer.... and i would totally be willing to help out the band for free... and i know a lot of other forum members would too. i'm not knocking peter... but he doesn't have to do it all himself.... or like you said above - offer contests for t-shirt designs and stuff. that would be great!

i also think connecting the band to the fans is a good thing, not getting into their personal affairs but doing a forum interview or some photos from in the studio. website exclusive stuff. i thought the tour diary back in 2006 was great fun! and i think it's awesome that brian is able to get noel burke to answer some questions for us. that's class.... i wish we could get some interaction from mac or will or even Les on the official forum too.

[industri]

It's funny because there ARE fan-run sites that end up being BETTER than the official ones, so they BECOME the official ones (pretty sure that's the story behind DM, PWEI and Underworld)... and it makes no sense in a day and age of Wikipedia why you WOULDN'T have a site built communally if there's no money to pay someone to do it.

All that aside - while I agree there are a ton of changes that need to be done to the official site, I think history has shown that the band have a general lack of interest in pushing their online presence. Too many people (artists, musicians, newspapers etc) get hung up on the money coming in directly because of the website, that they don't stop to think of the advertising angle.

For example: due to the VT discography, I realized I was missing one of the more recent singles, popped over to Amazon, and ordered it on the spot. Money to the band's pockets, with no DIRECT correlation to the website. I think many people promoting an online presence miss that fact.

(Oh, and a less direct pet-peeve: a REAL t-shirt shop. I don't own a Bunny shirt because they all sorta suck. The one, nice, clean, basic design I like (the star) is only available as a CafePress deal... no thanks! I know it's direct money and contradicts some of the points above - but it's a personal gripe LOL!)

[withahip]

The official site opening page has a new picture up.

[black francis]

The official site opening page has a new picture up.

It's no longer Mac squatting like he's dropping one off?

[moondance]

This is the best thread ever! Fantastic suggestions. If they would implement a few of these suggestions and combine it with VT features it could really be boss and worthy of the Bunnymen. I have never understood why the band has kept its website mired in such mediocrity. I don't blame Peter for that, it's got to be Mac and management because Will definitely knows better.

This post from Bunnymen.com underscores the lack of technical ability. If I made a post like this which failed to convey my own point, I'd work damned hard to get it right asap.
http://www.bunnymenforum.com/forum15/1684.html

[Frank The Bunny]

I have never understood why the band has kept its website mired in such mediocrity. I don't blame Peter for that, it's got to be Mac and management because Will definitely knows better.

One reason: £££

Why do you think "Flowers" had such a shitty cover? It was cheaper to have a guy digitally tint a stolen photo from a book than it was to set up a photo shoot.

[black francis]

One reason: £££

Why do you think "Flowers" had such a shitty cover? It was cheaper to have a guy digitally tint a stolen photo from a book than it was to set up a photo shoot.

I think their whole philosophy is geared around protecting themselves from financial losses. Same pleasant, jangly pop and as we've all notciced, not providing the resources for the web guy to do something meaningful.

I'm not too demanding but I'd like to see a band biography which covers the good and the bad, band member bios (including those associated with the band over the years), extensive photos and I know the band members themselves can kick down with some and it won't cost anyone anything, video section with promo videos and maybe the occasional rare or live performance and a decent webstore. I'm not paying for something off of Cafe Press whether it is official or not. I know I'm forgetting something.