What are we up to?

Do you like music? Do you really dig reading about the history of your favorite bands, the things that went into making their music, and the overall history of the music world? Do you tire of buying magazines and visiting websites and discovering that they're either talking about exactly the same bands, or they're talking about bands and artists you've never heard of, simply to be talking about artists you've never heard of?

The Recoup aims to change that conundrum. If successfully funded, we will be both a print journal and a fully operational, regularly updated music website. Your assistance will help to enlighten the music world by allowing me to help tell the stories you may not have heard about records you may never have heard.

The title The Recoup pays tribute to the music industry's most notorious feature: recoupable debt, or the debt a band or artist incurs and must be paid off before receiving royalties. It has been reported that 90-98% of bands and artists never recouped and will never recoup.

What Will We Feature In The First Issue?

Great question! While we can't reveal just yet who will be in the final edition of the inaugural issue of The Recoup, here's who we can reveal:

Lon & Derrek Van Eaton: The story of two brothers who went from making lovely folk-rock and wound up in the presence of Rock Gods, who helped them to create one of the best records most people haven't heard.

Semisonic: We tackle the inevitible, painful battle of art versus commerce by looking at the story of Semisonic's third album, All About Chemistry.

The Knack: No, not the 1970s band...but the 1960s band. Their story demonstrates what happens when misguided record label campaigns get thrust upon an unsuspecting band.

We will also have reviews, profiles, and other good stuff!

The website version, which will launch in March 2013, will feature blog posts, reviews of current reissues and out of print collections, interviews, proflies, and contests.

Incentives!

In addition to helping out, donators can choose through a number of really inventive and original perks. From a basic donation that will gain you a copy of our physical magazine, to extravagent packages that includes numerous gifts and items from the archvies of The Recoup (including rare pictures, articles, collections, and releases on vinyl, cassette, or compact disc).

We also have quarterly gifts, which will include mixes, other publications that we've been involved with, and other handmade goodies.

Also, we will offer unique, subscriber-only podcasts that will be chock full of musical goodness!

For those seeking assistance with their own creative projects, or are needing proofreading experience, I am offering my services. I have a B.A in English, an M.Ed in education, and have nearly two decades' worth of writing experience.

Who We Are

My name is Joseph Kyle, and I have been a music journalist and writer for the past decade and a half. My work has appeared in publications such as Pitchfork, Punk Planet, No Depression, Under the Volcano, Tiny Mix Tapes, Dagger, and Big Takeover. For nearly a decade, I was editor of one of the first independent music websites, Mundane Sounds. Music has always been a passion; I am lucky to have been able to share my love with others, both in print and online.

Here is where you can see my most recent writings:

http://www.bigtakeover.com/author/Joseph+Kyle/

http://www.daggerzine.com

http://www.mundanesounds.com

Why This Model of Fund Raising?

The Recoup is an extension of my love of music. It is to be both a print and an online experience. Because both the music industry and the publishing industry have been permanently transformed by the Internet, a crowd-funding project for a start up makes perfect sense. It certainly helps to level the issue that invariably and inevitably comes up: advertising funds. A new, independent print magazine will face many difficulties raising advertising. I don't want to deal with that fight, because it is a tiresome one that drains both time and emotions.

What We Need Your Help With:

Here is a breakdown of what your generous contribution will fund:

• Printing: Volume One is nearly complete, and I am seeking funds to pay for its printing. Forty percent of funds raised will go towards this need, and the final printing run will be determined by the amount of funds raised. Our print volume is going to look fantastic, and with your help, it can and will! We will also want to compensate our writers--none of the typical work for free scam will go on.

• Website: In addition to the print journal, I am seeking to make The Recoup an online force to be reckoned with. I want to create a site that has its own unique content, outside of the print journal--and vice versa. The internet is a great source for like-minded souls, and I am looking to create a haven for the music lover who might not want to read about the "next big things" and hype-driven artists. Forty percent of the funds raised will go to this--to producing a well-designed, highly functioning website, hosting said site, as well as compensation to those responsible for the site.

• Upkeep: Twenty percent of the funds raised will help to keep the website functioning on a content level. This will be to help pay any writers involved, to pay for bills incurred by the website--telephone bills for interviews, for advertising, for items purchased in relation to the site, and other potential expenses.

The Recoup will be a full-time labor of love, and your patronage will help me to meet my goal of giving the world a gentle reminder of the great music that you might have missed, might have intentionally overlooked, or music that you might never have known about at all!