I think it was the words "have to" [buy direct from the artist] that Ian found cliquey. Of course many folk artists sell most of their CDs direct at gigs anyway, but it's well worth making them available in other outlets, and if you get sufficiently well known then the retailers will account for a much higher proportion of sales.

There's also the fact that commercial distribution gives you much wider exposure, which could mean more gigs, so more direct sales etc....

I've now had experience of making one album entirely home made and sold direct, and another through the studio recording/record label/commercial distribution route. The commercial one makes far less money for us per copy sold, but it's available on line and in the high street shops, and it gets reviewed in magazines and played on local radio. It's got to be worth it for the publicity value.

(We buy at trade price, about £7.50 a copy, and get 10% on copies sold via other channels).

Anahata