Comment Re:Obvious solution to this (Score 1) 887
Oh, I'm sure there are quite a few reasons that musicians go through record companies, and the bigger the better. If you look at the percentage of musicians that get those big record contracts, it's the kind of figures that a high school basketball player doesn't want to hear.. but he's still going to try for the NBA. It's that big elusive goal that says you've made it.
Especially today, there are alternatives. You can go indy, produce your own music, make it available on the web in free sites that will even pay you a wee bit for downloads, or personal sites with your own happy little store front. But the sad truth of the matter is, it takes a big machine with lots of money to communicate a message effectively in this country. And that's what makes Factory Music a success. Record execs pay someone to write songs, pay some pretty kids to sing them, produce the music, pay radio stations to play the music, advertise the music with tv/radio, sadden the world by buying Aerosmith to sing duets at high profile events with their Music-Muppets, and feature their artists in music industry magazines. Avoid seeing that. I dare you. Try to not know a few words to some Backstreet Boys songs.
And now compare an artists ability to make a successful career and retire comfortably in both situations. You just don't often communicate far enough without being backed by The Machine.
I have a friend who writes some pretty incredible electronic music. Has a record label and puts his own music out along with that of some friends. Plays local gigs on occasion. Really interesting website. (link avoided because it's dangerous to put a link on /. ;) Gets some writeups in local/indy mags and 'underground' webzines. I expect he'll be coding some 80+ hours a week still for some time though.
Shrug. It's an ugly machine. But a big machine. And with all of the lawsuits and 'measures' being taken, it looks like they are going to die extremely slowly.
-=rev=-
Especially today, there are alternatives. You can go indy, produce your own music, make it available on the web in free sites that will even pay you a wee bit for downloads, or personal sites with your own happy little store front. But the sad truth of the matter is, it takes a big machine with lots of money to communicate a message effectively in this country. And that's what makes Factory Music a success. Record execs pay someone to write songs, pay some pretty kids to sing them, produce the music, pay radio stations to play the music, advertise the music with tv/radio, sadden the world by buying Aerosmith to sing duets at high profile events with their Music-Muppets, and feature their artists in music industry magazines. Avoid seeing that. I dare you. Try to not know a few words to some Backstreet Boys songs.
And now compare an artists ability to make a successful career and retire comfortably in both situations. You just don't often communicate far enough without being backed by The Machine.
I have a friend who writes some pretty incredible electronic music. Has a record label and puts his own music out along with that of some friends. Plays local gigs on occasion. Really interesting website. (link avoided because it's dangerous to put a link on
Shrug. It's an ugly machine. But a big machine. And with all of the lawsuits and 'measures' being taken, it looks like they are going to die extremely slowly.
-=rev=-
