Maggie Vail, a seventeen-year veteran of the off-kilt Kill Rock Stars imprint, has started CASH Music – a nonprofit organization that builds open source digital tools for musicians and labels (read Vail’s KRS departure press release here). Along with Co-Executive Director Jesse von Doom, the pair are “building a free and open platform that’s available to all artists, designed in partnership with the artists and labels who are members of our organization. What WordPress did for bloggers, we’re doing for musicians.”
CASH membership already includes Throwing Muses, Ted Leo, Xiu Xiu, Domino Recording Co, Frenchkiss Records, and more, so it looks like they’re off to a good start. The organization is raising funds via a Kickstarter campaign. Those who donate $10 or more before March 9 receive a digital compilation with exclusive tracks from Elliott Smith, Throwing Muses, Deerhunter, and more.