Help Trail of Dead Recover From Touring Debt

Jason Reece is organizing this fundraiser.

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As some of you know, it was almost two years ago that we embarked on a tour of Europe to play and promote our new album XI: BLEED HERE NOW.

Only a few weeks before, we had reached out to you about the very real possibility of having to cancel the tour altogether. Fortunately—with the help of our friends, families, and this amazing community of fans and supporters that we are beyond grateful for—we were able to save the tour and make it happen.

Despite our best efforts to budget and plan, unforeseen challenges and extenuating circumstances plagued the tour from Day 1 which kickstarted a domino effect that persisted over the course of the following month. Conrad even shared some of his personal diary on his Patreon here: Tour diary excerpts.

From the transportation and accommodation issues, equipment failure, urgent care, and promotional expenses—every aspect of the tour came with a hefty price tag. As a result, we are trying to manage a crushing debt of $25,000. And while the experience of that tour (and touring in general) is invaluable to us, the financial strain has put our band’s future in jeopardy.

We are beyond stoked that Interpol has invited us to support them later this year for one night only. However, it’s important to note that the fact that the show is here in Austin (which is only local for some of our members) was essentially the deciding factor in us being able to accept that invitation at all. By then it will have been over two years since we’ve played a show for a live audience.

From decreased revenue (if any) earned from streaming, venues taking cuts of merch sales, touring costs growing to be significantly more challenging post-pandemic, financial instability already compounded by marketing and production expenses without guaranteed returns, as well as intellectual property challenges, unfair compensation, limited support from labels and proper management—this is what the artist community has been navigating for decades.

We refuse to let these setbacks extinguish our passion for music and our dreams of sharing it with others. So we are turning to you: our community, friends, and fans for support. And while we aren’t expecting to recoup the entire debt—your generosity makes a profound difference in helping us recover, continue to pursue our musical aspirations, and to allow us to create and perform the music that inspires us and brings joy to our listeners.

Every donation, no matter how small, will help us to pay off this debt, cover essential expenses, and strengthen our resolve to overcome this challenge. In return for your support, we promise to work tirelessly to make new music, play our guts out, and show our gratitude in every possible way. Together, we can turn this setback into a comeback and keep the spirit of rock alive!

Thank you for being with us on this journey, for being part of our story, and for your unwavering support and belief in our music.

Note: You can also support the band directly (thank you to those who already do!) at the links below.

Conrad’s Patreon

Conrad Keely Art

Sincerely,

Jason & Conrad

…And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

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https://variety.com/2022/music/news/touring-devastating-costs-covid-1235402415/

https://www.businessinsider.com/spotify-ceo-daniel-ek-comments-about-creators-content-costs-2024-6?amp

https://www.nme.com/news/music/music-fans-and-artists-hit-back-as-spotify-ceo-claims-the-cost-of-creating-content-is-close-to-zero-3761004

https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/umaw-music-industry/