Hondo Mesa Records, a US-based independent record label started selling their music in the virtual world of Second Life®. Buyers can pay using the Second Life® currency “Linden Dollars”, and afterwards download the music to their computer.

Hondo Mesa Records was always interested in the marketing possibilities of new media; several of their signed artists have regular live gigs in the virtual world of Second Life. When Dennis Kinsey (Head Honcho of Hondo Mesa Records) and Philippe Pascal (independent media/marketing consultant) met in Second Life®, already soon there were plans for a Second Life® headquarters.

During the development phase of these headquarters, Kinsey and Pascal met Mark Clarke from SLevolution, who was developing a way to sell music in virtual reality. Kinsey and Pascal, already convinced of the marketing value of virtual reality, decided to try out this new technology.

Now, after several months of testing and a close constructive relation with SLevolution, everything is set to go. People can go to a Hondo Mesa Records store in Second Life, pre-listen to songs, and buy both singles and full albums. Each product provides the customer with a unique code, allowing the customer to not only play the purchased record in Second Life®, but also allowing him to download the song to his computer as an MP3-file.

“As an independent record label, most of our cd sales happen at our concerts, and in this way we can also sell our records at our Second Life® gigs, which is a great advantage for us”, Kinsey says.
Pascal adds “Seen from a marketing point of view, virtual reality has an enormous potential for small to mid-sized companies. Thanks to virtual reality, these firms can have global exposure at a minimal risk.”

Both men are proud on the result and very satisfied about the constructive relation with SLevolution. Both are confident about the future; Kinsey is already thinking about ways to introduce more musicians in virtual
reality, while Pascal will start offering this service to all interested small to mid-sized record labels.

Hondo Mesa Records is proud to announce three new releases. The studio is making extra hours, but we’re sure you are going to love our three new artists!

First to be released will be “The Medicine Show” by Kh’Mi, closely followed by the new album of Gary Small and the Coyote Bross. Two albums already out in the USA, soon to be released in Europe.

Also about ready to go is “Far and Away” by Bara Jonson. Bara Jonson is a well known artist in Second Life, bringing you some great original pop/rock and blues songs. Hondo Mesa’s Head Honcho Dennis Kinsey followed Bara for a time in Second Life, and signed him earlier this year.

Stay tuned to the Hondo Mesa Records website to have all the latest news about this upcoming releases.

Check out the sidebar at the left, select your player and off you go. Enjoy!

To attend live gigs you’ll need a free second life account, as also a free second life viewer. Both can be found at http://www.secondlife.com. Once you have these; just click the “SLURL”-link at the end of each gig announcement, and you’ll be immediatly on the right spot! (Just make sure you’re there on the right time )

Just go to this page, and have a look at the upcoming gigs. Enjoy!

Curious about how it will look? Check out the little preview movie we made yesterday!

We’re working hard to get all information online as soon as possible. Make sure you visit us again to listen to demo’s, get the latests updates on releases and learn more about our artists.

Ow; and don’t forget; the Hondo Mesa Shop… for all your musical needs.