couple of points
1) Crowdfunding as it's being discussed here is an internet phenomenon, isn't it? It eliminates the whole "see the whites of their eyes as they hand over the money" element of pre-pressing patronage/post-pressing buying, so the band doesn't have to feel embarrassed as they receive their friends' hard-earned. It also gets those who don't want to go to a gig to contribute money without leaving the comfort of their sofa. While I like the getting-your-lazy-mates-to-pay bit of this, why not do this after you've made the CD? I think the function, if there is one, of a musician is to get people off their chairs to dance, and not encouraging them to stay rooted their chairs clicking the Paypal button for a CD they won't listen to. It's all very internetty and not a shared buzz. Plus I bet lots of parents and aunties spend on this. That's not what playing music is about.
2) I still have mixed feelings as well. Having recently engaged in a fundraising gig instead of a fundit drive, I'd still have no problem with any bands doing a fundit, so long as they're not doing stuff like "we'll sing an Abba song down the phone to you and then take you on a date". feck it there's worse cunts taking your money and we're all skint. I'd hope that more people would go to gigs though.
I'm now taking this as my official stance.
The bit about making people dance touched me..thats the rock'n'roll I hamfistedly referred to..Thats the way to get their money right there and get the record made.
No harm tapping up the aunties though.Especially if they're a bit slow