It's Up! (OzmaOnline)

[Outlog]

Nothing special yet, but still Woo!

[antiuser]

Better than the blank page, or DNS not resolving, or the domain renewal page...

[∃]

I'd say it's definitely something special.  Love the art too.

But I have a question-- are they back on Kung Fu?  They've been "unsigned" on MySpace, and I don't see any reason why they wouldn't head back to Kung Fu, and Kung Fu is certainly a link on the website--  BUT, they're still "unsigned" on MySpace, so it makes me curious.

[The Other Mike]

well, it seems to be hosted on the Coptic Records site (dan's record label), but that probably doesn't mean anything.

[oatmeal]

my space says their unsinged or indepdent or something

edit:ozmaonline has a link for Kung Foo Records

I guess Im just confusing myself and waisting your time.

[Colt45]

do you really think they would reunite just to put out an album on coptic records? i don't think they'll put anything out until they have a legitimate label behind them.

[oatmeal]

Good point, I just thought they might take a chance. Hey people do stupid things sometime.

[The Other Mike]

do you really think they would reunite just to put out an album on coptic records? i don't think they'll put anything out until they have a legitimate label behind them.

I wouldn't rule it out entirely.

[I like ozma]

they can make music without a label

[kitten]

it makes more sense to me for them to be on coptic.  it's dan's label so they can do what they want rather than you know, get stuck with a video featuring a turtle that they hate.

[oatmeal]

I agree musical freedom is better than having a record company that may make them more popular.

[Colt45]

it makes more sense to me for them to be on coptic.  it's dan's label so they can do what they want rather than you know, get stuck with a video featuring a turtle that they hate.

i dont think kung fu is where they want to be, but i know a label even smaller than kung fu isnt the direction they want to set in either.  you don't make a lot of money in the business without some sort of label support. at this point in their careers i wouldn't be shocked if they made the run at a major.

[The Other Mike]

wow, you seem to know pretty well what the members of ozma want.  Do you have some inside information that the rest of us don't?


 

[Colt45]

wow, you seem to know pretty well what the members of ozma want.  Do you have some inside information that the rest of us don't?


 

all this information was generally deposited in the "ozma is reunited" thread.  i am just making assumptions based on what i heard and what all of us know.

[malcolm]

 

[aqotgg]

yeah. seeing how part of the breakup had something to do with lack of success, i'd say that given the current climate for what's popular, there's a very good chance they could sign to a major or a label in cohorts with a major, and this would work to their advantage.

[The Other Mike]

It's not as if a band can just ask to be signed to a major label and get a contract, the label usually comes looking for the band.  Considering that Ozma hasn't had a record in several years and the ones they did release never sold terribly well, it doesn't seem that they would attract a lot of major labels.  I don't know what their new stuff will sound like, but their old stuff isn't the kind of stuff that's any sort of trendy these days, so it's not likely that they'd even get snagged up just because of their genre.  It would be more likely that they would self produce their next record and try to attract the attention of a bigger indie (sub-pop level perhaps).

[∃]

heh, when I speculated about it, I didn't even think of it as such a big deal.

Personally, I think Dan is perfectly capable of handling his own label.  The question would be how much "success/money/publicity" the band really is after.  And even so, I feel like a major label could only hinder the creativity and originality that has always gone hand-in-hand with Ozma--not by Ozma's choice obviously.

I wasn't aware that part of the breakup had to do with "a lack of success."  I'm not sure how much I would believe that... Since then, none of the members have gone onto anything "more successful" than Ozma.  And, I don't think any of the members even PURSUED tentatively-more-successful ventures.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Ozma on Coptic.  But I wouldn't be surprised to see Ozma on Kung-Fu either.  I WOULD be surprised to see them on a "major label"--whatever that means .  I never got the impression that Kung-Fu and Ozma had a bad relationship.  I wouldn't be surprised to see them back.

[Not Jason]

I think the chance of ozma getting signed to a major at this point are a little slim.

Let's be reasonable.  Ozma could have gotten signed in probably 2001 or something.  Back then they had buzz.  They toured with Weezer, they had a lot of unrealized potential.  Right now it's 2006.  They have been completely off the radar for over a year, and prior to that, their last album, regardless of how good it may have been, was a comercial flop met with mixed reviews.  I'll be honest.  I'm not even sure Ozma's chances of getting signed to a high profile indie label are very good at this point.  And what do you mean that the current climate is right for a band like Ozma?  You're insane!  In the recent past there has been a lot of big pseudo-disco-punk stuff, and arcad-fire-clones.  Ozma doesn't fit this at all.  I think somebody's being a little dillusional.

[The Other Mike]

  I'll be honest.  I'm not even sure Ozma's chances of getting signed to a high profile indie label are very good at this point. 

right now?  definitely not.  But if they were to record and self-release a really great album it would be possible.  They have enough of an installed fan base and they are friendly with a lot of bigger indie bands (blake and rilo kiley, Nada Surf, etc) that they could pull it off.

[Not Jason]

heh, when I speculated about it, I didn't even think of it as such a big deal.

Personally, I think Dan is perfectly capable of handling his own label.  The question would be how much "success/money/publicity" the band really is after.  And even so, I feel like a major label could only hinder the creativity and originality that has always gone hand-in-hand with Ozma--not by Ozma's choice obviously.

I wasn't aware that part of the breakup had to do with "a lack of success."  I'm not sure how much I would believe that... Since then, none of the members have gone onto anything "more successful" than Ozma.  And, I don't think any of the members even PURSUED tentatively-more-successful ventures.

Ozma broke up because of a lot of things, and I think lack of success had something to do with it.  There was one particular southeastern tour that went fucking terribly.  Horrible attendance regularly.  It's a lot easier to convince yourself that it's worth it when the fans are screaming your names.  When shit's rocky and nobody seems to give a shit, it can grate on you.

And what do you mean that none of them persued other projects?  I think everyone but Star did.  None of them really got anywhere, but I don't think it was for lack of desire.  Yes Dear had a good start but kind of fizzled.  Gone with the Ghost had potential, but it just never panned out.  Dan of course had his solo record that he put a lot of effort into.  And Pat at least was in some sort of other band that I never bothered to look into, not sure if he's still doing that, but I know that he was.

I think the issue of whether or not Dan can run his own label is more accurately, "can dan stay focused well enough to make this happen."  Recently he's been pretty good at this, as evidenced by the fact that Speak Easy actually came out (which I doubted would ever happen).  As much as I admire the guy, he tends to heap his plate extremely full of things and can get a little problematic.  There are so many projects of his that have yet to actually see the light of day:  The lost contraband album, a real monstro release, the new commuter music record (?), gone with the ghosts was supposedly going to have a release at some point, which of course won't likely happen at this point.  So I don't know, we'll see.  It might be different with Ozma, he's always tended to give that unparalelled priority.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Ozma on Coptic.  But I wouldn't be surprised to see Ozma on Kung-Fu either.  I WOULD be surprised to see them on a "major label"--whatever that means .  I never got the impression that Kung-Fu and Ozma had a bad relationship.  I wouldn't be surprised to see them back.

I frequently got the impression that Ozma's relationship with Kung-Fu, towards the end, was pretty rocky.  I am relatively sure that Ozma's contract with Kung-Fu was up after Spending Time, and I'm not sure either had much interrest in renuing it.

[oatmeal]

In my opinion, they should do whatever dosent hinder thier creativity and what makes them true ozma. Thats the kind of music that I think pleases and puts a smile on most of ozma's fans faces, becuase thats what they were before. If they go to a stricter record company it would be hard to make the album as good as it can be.

However, I think becuase of being quite for a while ang then hit with a bang. The hives did so. I think it took them ten years. Yeah the music goes greaty by senes and its not part of the sene. This woul be verry slim and verry hard but great differnt grands like the Pixies and Nirvana changeg them sene themselves. If the albums is incredably good and diverse, ozma could make TV for a while and number could about them, myabee even better. Becuase their rock sound in thier early stuff is apealing to most people that hear it they just need to hear it. So I think there still is hope.

PS: I would like to hear songs like the D song on thier cd, I want it to be differnt but the songs to be fairy simular. Like the Double Donkey Disk-a CD with its own sound and the great power of rock.

[The Other Mike]

is english your native tongue?

[∃]

Well perhaps I just think too highly of Ozma and their potential.

I think Ozma as a whole has made some great decisions and done some great things.  I've never felt alienated by any of the bands' moves, decisions, albums... However, I am aware I have not been as "familiar" with the band as I have been as of recently.  Even reading stuff here about Ozma is more insightful than I original was just as a fan of the music.  Though I still never felt like Ozma was in a very bad spot.  Though I also must add that I may not even know what I'm talking about 'cause I've never been very "scene."  I just listen to and get involved in what I like, and I've always liked Ozma.

And what do you mean that none of them persued other projects?

Well, what I said was that "I don't think any of the members even PURSUED tentatively-more-successful ventures."  By that I meant, MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN OZMA.  For example, while I love Speak Easy and am glad it got released, I don't think Dan put that out for "success."  When I first heard the Yes Dear stuff, I liked it, but I didn't expect it to go too far...  I loved Gone With The Ghosts as well, but none of these bands seemed to be the "next Ozma."  And by "next Ozma," I ONLY mean a band with that same individual charm and personality that I think made Ozma stand out to me so much.

Like I said, I think very highly of the band and their music.  I do have faith in Dan running a record label, and whether he's focused or not, I can't see him driving Ozma straight into the ground.  I've always loved Ozma's music, but I know it takes more than the love of a few fans to keep a band going.  However, I also know that "success" isn't always the result of "quality."  And I am aware that not being familiar with the current "scene," makes me very unaware of what the future of Ozma may hold realistically.  But I just like them too much to think anything bad.  What I do think though, is that they're really going to change their style.  I think Spending Time... was a step in the right direction but I'm curious to know where it's going from here.  I'm not expecting even an "advancement" of Spending Time...

[oatmeal]

is english your native tongue?

I still have my native tounge, and for your info its pink/red not english.

[heysarahsarah]

Uh, guys, they still haven't even "technicically" played their first reunited show and already people are speculating about major label buzz?  Calm yourselves.  I think they are most concerned with connecting with their audience again and making some good music.  Whether they will ressurrect Tornado for future possible recordings or use Dan's coptic, I think we can be pretty sure it'll be a bit before we see a new cd and probably longer before it appears on a major-indie label. 

Speculating on why the band broke up and what their priorities are now that they are together is rather silly.  I mean, do it by all means, but for most of this, we can't really be sure.  I'm not in their heads.  I'm glad to see the site back up though, thats for sure   But you may not understand a lot about the music business if you think a band that has been broken up for a year and was on a smallish punk label is suddenly going to get picked up by a major.  This has nothing to do with talent, it has everything to do with the fact that the indie bands that are being signed left and right now have a particular sound and a shitload of buzz, neither of which Ozma currently has. 

They'll rock out in their way, and we'll all enjoy whatever way they decide to go

[aqotgg]

this is all i mean to say. i think they definitely know what they're doing at this stage of the game, and i feel (like i always have) that ozma could really do popular music a world of good on a bigger level.  on the other hand, i have to admit i kind of like only having a few friends who are into this band.  i dunno.

[nick]

at any rate, it still brings a wonderful rush of nostalgia to me just to see the site back up.     

[I like ozma]

theyre not screamo, so i dont know if they will ever be able to be popular

[malcolm]

i'd like to see rrp4. i didn't really dig spending time