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The Derek-Heist?
Update: Here’s my latest post with a rundown of ALL the clues so far as well as info on how to get his new song.
This message arrived in my inbox today from Derek Webb:
friends-
this is turning into a bigger deal than we expected. as a result, we’re having to temporarily _pull everything online down (can’t explain now). and to be on the s_afe side, i’m going to pe_rsonally go offline while we sort this out. i re_ally shouldn’t use my twitter account for now either so _don’t expect any updates there.make no m_istake, our trouble with the label over content i_s very real, and not as simple as one word; we’re back_ed into a corner. but we have applied all of our creative resources to th_is, working furiou_sly to create something that we believe not only subverts any leg_al issues but should also be a _pretty wild ride.
so this will be the l_ast email for a while. we’ll t_ry to lea_k information via a new tw_itter account, @ssyndrome. you’re o_n your own so start payin_g attention. i’l_l see you _on the o_ther side-
derek
Now when Derek Webb first send an email out regarding his label troubles, Brody Harper wrote this post questioning whether Derek, in all his marketing brilliance, was turning label troubles into some excellent pr opportunities.
I’m beginning to think Brody is right. Honestly, it feels a bit like the recent Macheist (a yearly “Mission Impossible” type community event ultimately used to promote a the sale of Mac software. )
Surely Derek knows that this will get everyone talking about the album and speculating about the cause of the controversy. And dramatic, cryptic emails like this will only heighten the frenzy. The interesting thing to me is how can you “leak” information during a legal issue using a twitter account announced in your own email newsletter (and on your website)? Isn’t the nature of “leaking” information supposed to be anonymous so that those who provide the info don’t get into more legal trouble? And what’s with all the underscores?
It will be interesting to see how many followers that twitter account will have over the next few days and how the whole controversy/album promotion pans out.
Well done, Derek.
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I think you’re probably right. Scroll down on his site and click on the link ellipsis. What’s that all about?
I had some similar thoughts when I got the e-mail. Leak information?
At first, I thought the underscores were weird code that didn’t come through right in my e-mail, but then I saw that it’s the same on his site, so… yeah, still weird, but obviously intentional.
Hmmmmm…
Underscores = Paradise is a Parking Lot
I don’t get that, but apparently it’s not a password for the ellipsis.
I cracked the code on the email and tried the phrase “paradise is a parking lot” on http://www.derekwebb.com/ssyndrome.php with and without spaces. No success.
Now we need to figure out the code on the web page: wha_t do you _wan_t? (erro_r -0558 103)
Any ideas?
My thoughts exactly… How do you announce a “leak” of legal info??
Unfortunately, if this is all a ploy, he may have a backlash on his hands. Whatever this is, it better be “good” - and it better be worth the weird hype.
http://www.paradiseisaparkinglot.com/ leads to a site with more clues. I see Derek and Sandra with their kids at Ugly Mugs coffee shop about once a week, usually. I’ll try to make it over there this afternoon to ask for a “Stockholm Latte.”
On a side note, Kat, you’d love Ugly Mugs. It’s one of the two best coffee shops in Nashville, and one thing that sets it apart is the section in the back with mats on the floor and toy boxes for kids to play.
Awesome Stephen! Great work Mark! I just got home, can’t wait to check it out.
If Derek wanted buzz, I think he’s gonna get it.
Surely it’s not just limited to people in Nashville, though, right?
The new twitter account (http://twitter.com/ssyndrome) says three of the five “Nashville artifacts” have been found, which makes it sound like it will expand to other major cities after the Nashville step is complete.
I just asked for a Stockholm Latte, and was told there were only five and they were all gone almost immediately this morning. So we’ll have to wait for whatever happens next.
Notice that when you click on “Help” and “RSS” on http://www.paradiseisaparkinglot.com/, more clues come up.
Stephen,
I saw that RSS feed. I’m downloading the movies now.
Wonder if he deposited “artifacts” in various cities while on tour...? That would be cool.
Watched the Teepee video. Um...guess I need to watch the rest to figure something out.
OK. So I love the mystery, but I really don’t like having to download clue files only to delete them later. The first “stem” has been released here - http://www.paradiseisaparkinglot.com/
Looks like there is a “stem” for every barcode plus the heart (at the top of the page).
Follow along with other people deciphering the clues on Twitter. Here’s the hashtag - #ssyndrome
the underscores in the error message spell twtr. in case you were wondering…
does anyone else think that @ssyndrome is a clue in itself...aka @= a?
Lori Jo - interesting. There *was* all that hype about a potential cuss word in one of his songs that started the supposed controversy…
or not..
Okay, so there are 20 slots on http://www.paradiseisaparkinglot.com/. Each one (based on the first one up for download) will contain 5 2-second audio files, with part of a song lyric as the title of the audio track. There are 4 different locations, 5 “artifacts” in each location, totaling 200 seconds, or 3 minutes and 20 seconds, the length of one song. It looks like you will put the song together by stringing together the lyrics.
Here at Ugly Mugs, they’ve turned off the ringer on the phone because they have been getting so many phone calls from Texas, Sweden, and anywhere else you can name asking if they can order a “Stockholm Latte.” And their e-mail inbox has been flooded. This, despite instructions telling you to order a latte, which obviously has to be done in person.
The mystery behing the elipses on the dw site. I solved it!
Click on the elipses and the question pops up what do you want?
answer: kickdrum
This will take you to another site and there is a big pic of derek on it and in the middle of his eye is a website.
Type that into the web browser and the last question that will pop up is
what time it is:
answer: youneverknow
Finish with a cool Video of Derek!
Great job Chris and Stephen!
I got those e-mails and also thought it was a bit odd to publicly announce leaks.
If it is simply a marketing ploy, it sounds a bit deceitful and manipulative to me.
MamasBoy,
I could definitely see how someone could have that perspective.
However, I think coming from the Mac community and being very familiar with Macheist (macheist.com) I see it as really creative and fun.
Chris, how did you determine the answers were “kickdrum” and “youneverknow”? Thanks.
Ive been following derek for awhile and one of his pages that his friends update is derekwebb.net
There is a posting on March 24 about what Derek is up to on twitter and I noticed “someone” added some words in the posting
Looks like the “Derek Webb Heist” is headed to Texas. There’s a new .pdf file in the RSS feed from http://www.paradiseisaparkinglot.com/
The pdf points to - http://www.royersroundtopcafe.com/ - I’m guessing there will be some “artifacts” there, possibly tomorrow?
Anyone else have any other updates?
I love controversy! I love how Derek’s music makes you stop and think. Mixing the two together is a given. Can’t wait to hear the new cd!
I just can’t seem to care. I know these sort of things are popular for marketing (like an ARG) but controversy with the label seems like a divisive track to take. Surely there was something better?
How do you get that cafe web address from the pdf file? I don’t see it.
If you take every letter after the underscores and put them together to create a sentence.. a possible secret message reads - “Paradise is a parking lot.”
I think JayBee meant why did Kat say that “The pdf points to - http://www.royersroundtopcafe.com/”. Which I would also like to know. I don’t get anything out of the eye pdf.
Brian and Jaybee - I don’t see that the cafe url address is in the pdf. But on the rss link on paradiseisaparkinglot.com, it says Royers Round Top above the pdf file. So a quick google search will give you their web address.
Also, keep in mind, the teepee (another clue) is onsite at Pozo Hondo Studio - I called the studio yesterday to confirm. This studio is also located in Round Top, TX. I figured this out by searching google for some images I found on dw’s blog from last month. I’ll still hoping we’ve got some of the artifacts in the ATX area!!
“However, I think coming from the Mac community and being very familiar with Macheist (macheist.com) I see it as really creative and fun.”
I guess it’s just an inside joke then, and when he sends it to anybody who signed up to download Mockingbird, then he assumed those people would get it… or else didn’t have a problem manipulating them if they didn’t.
Yes, it’s brilliant marketing, but so was Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction in the super bowl halftime show. As I see it, Webb relies on deception among non hardcore fans to generate interest in his album. There are plenty of other ways to generate interest, but it’s the deceptive part about trouble with the label that generates the most interest among the broader community.
MB