Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent defended himself against criticism received following the release of his new single, "Ride The Serpent".
To purchase the CD containing only one eight-minute track, autographed and in a limited edition, fans need to shell out US$225 (approximately R$1,250) and US$300 (approximately R$1,700) for international orders.
In statements published by Louder , the musician commented on the negative reaction to the price of his new work, limited to 1000 copies.
“Welcome to the new era. Artists can and will define their own standards and rules for the price of their art. It’s a Mad Max-style wasteland, the Wild West for artists now that they have no protection against fans downloading music for free,” he said [transcription via Louder ].
Vinnie also said that the price is justified by the quality of the material. “This song is worth more than most entire albums. Consider yourself lucky that it's only this. If you don't like what I do, what I say, or what I sell, don't come here. If you do like it, support the artist. My price protects me from people who would buy it cheaply through bootlegs.”
Vinnie Vincent called critics "emotionally disturbed trolls"
Regarding those who criticized the price, Vinnie Vincent stated that they are "emotionally disturbed trolls" trying to disrupt his sales platform . The guitarist also claimed that people prefer to buy items from other artists instead of paying for his music.
“These are the same whiners who see no problem in paying $500 to a lip-syncing artist for a brick from a house he demolished, or $1,000 for a pair of sweaty, used socks. But you cry and complain like babies when VV [Vinnie Vincent] sells something at a price you don't like? Grow up!” he emphasized.
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