Calling all Five Times August fans

by Erin Rice

Five Times August, the music project run solely by one man, Brad Skistimas, is looking for fan support to win Rolling Stone's "Best of MySpace" contest. According to Skistimas' blog:

Rolling Stone is having a "Best of Myspace" contest and Five Times August's song "Better With You" is in the running! Hundreds of bands are getting their fans involved for this thing, so I'm calling on my own because I know I can rely on you!

Just head on over to RollingStone.com [direct link below]... and scroll down to the bottom of the page to leave a comment about how much you love the song! Get your friends and and MySpace buddies to leave a comment supporting FTA as well! Don't worry if it says the contest is "closed" – you can still leave a comment!

As Skistimas indicated, the contest is closed, but Rolling Stone has left the comments section open for "last-minute lobbying." On December 22 the top 25 bands, as picked by RS, will be announced.

If for nothing else, please leave a comment to shut up Chelsea Williams' stalker.

Read more about the contest and leave a comment here.

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Erin Rice, says:

The last link in this story has been updated. You can also access <i>Rolling Stone</i>'s comment space <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2006/12/19/rolling-stones-best-bands-on-myspace-who-did-we-forget/">here</a>.

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2 years, 11 months ago
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Alan Cohen, says:

I would never vote for Five Times August as best of MySpace because he doesn't maximize the enjoyment for his fans. Brad doesn't offer even a single song for download on his MySpace page. He also is known for forcing fans to sit through solicitation intros before streaming his songs. And then he gets annoyed at fans who request that he take the intros off.

http://www.pegasusnews.com/blogs/soun...

Its Brad's choice whether or not he wants to give a free download, or annoy fans with "guilt trip" solicitations. He has that right. But I'll exercise my right to not vote for him.

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2 years, 11 months ago
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FiveTimesAugust, says:

First of all... Erin, thanks for the help and support with the contest, I appreciate it very much.

Second.. it's nice to come back to this site and see that an idea I was trying out a good year ago is still being held against me by the angry Alan Cohen. So with that said...

Dear Angry Alan, If you had actually been to my myspace page since then, you'd see I no longer have the intros on the player. It was just an idea I was trying out to see if it would help the awareness for people to not souly rely on myspace for audio, because the CD has much more to offer than just whatever 4 songs I can post on my myspace player.

On top of that, if you go to my official website (fivetimesaugust.com) and click on audio, I stream every FTA song in full. I also provide lyrics to every song with the stories behind them. A lot of my fans write to tell me they really enjoy that and appreciate that I offer them so much information. So, if the 'enjoyment' factor for you is simply downloading my songs for free so you don't have to pay for it, then I'm not really sorry buddy. I respond to all my fan e-mails and stick around after shows to talk with them as long as they want. I update my own website, ship out my own merch orders, drive my own van across the country to play shows, and have even had several myspace promotions online where I've sent out over 1,000 F-R-E-E promo CD's to various fans, which I paid for with my own money. Yet, through my efforts you're going to give me grief over a 99 cent download?

My fans even have the courtesy to drop me a line and let me know when someone like you is bad mouthing me... twice. I wouldn't have bothered responding this time, I don't get very many negative remarks from people, but I always try to defend myself when I do... even though I shouldn't have to... heck, most musicians wouldn't.

Anyway, don't judge me and how I treat my fans, because I love my fans and I know my fans, and I try to give them everything they are looking for.

If you want my music for free go download it off limewire. It doesn't help me out much, but hopefully it'll bring the enjoyment back to my music for you.

Bah Humbug to you too Angry Alan, -Brad w/ Five Times August

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2 years, 11 months ago
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Alan Cohen, says:

Brad, your MySpace page is not user friendly, and thus I would not vote for you to be MySpace artist of the year.

For the record Brad, here is what you wrote a few months back when a fan kindly asked you if you would mind taking off solicitation intros from your MySpace page:

*"Since I tagged the songs with the intro, I've had a few people request that I take it off. Am I going to? No... I'm not. I put that intro on each song knowing that some people might be annoyed with it, but I figure if they're really annoyed with it and don't want to hear it anymore, there is an option... just get the CD.*

*So, do I take offense to it when somebody tells me to take it off? Well.... yea, I kind of do. I mean the music is there for you to listen to, all you have to do is skip through the intro or deal with it. You might say it's annoying ... but as the guy behind the music, trying to promote it and sell it as an independent artist, without any major label backing me up, I might say it's a bit annoying taking demands from people that haven't really made the effort to actually support my music the right way. It's not supposed to be free... it's my job, and I'd love for you to understand that."*

Now remind me, who is it that gets angry? That was a total jerk response by you to a fan that was making a reasonable request.

But from your comment above, it is clear that you don't need her as a fan because you are already your own biggest fan. As such I think you should go vote for yourself now. Then again, there is no doubt in my mind that you already have.

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2 years, 11 months ago
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ooshie, says:

I absolutely LOVE Five Times August! I have actually met Brad at a show, and he was nothing but super nice to me and all the other fans waiting to meet him, and he even wrote me back when I sent him a message later! I can't believe that anyone (Alan) would say he takes enjoyment out of music for his fans. That's so not true!!!!! And how is his mysapce not user friendly? It's just the basic layout...I've never have any problems with it. Looks like someone just felt like trying to spread bad vibes about FTA. it's not gonna work on me! (or probably anyone else for that matter)

Kelsey -West Lafayette, IN