Everyone I know these days pretty much uses Facebook, Myspace or one of the many other social networking sites. Either way you try to escape it you really can’t (even if some people you know set up pages using your name!!) One bird I know spends all night on it when she gets home and gives it her full un-divided attention (her kids probably know her as ‘that fat bastard who sits upstairs on the computer all night eating Curly Wurleys & Chomps’) the same girl in question has even admitted to me that she does not clean her house or cook for her three children!! Obsessively shocking I know, but not everyone I know spends all day telling people about how big one of their shits was on these social networking sites. It doesn’t really get on my nerves as such, but it can be slightly irritating as it seems some people’s lives are pretty much dictated by FB or MS.
Now I know I’m gonna get loads of shit from some of you Facebookers who read this as you all know I don’t ‘do’ Facebook, but these social networking sites do a have plus side apart from meeting young men/women for a good old shag when you get home from the pub … they’re pretty helpful for un-signed musicians and bands.
The other day Neil mentioned on one of my Blogs about bands gaining recognition through hard graft of their own doing. It got me thinking about a few months back when I remember having a conversation with a musically learned friend of mine about what Radiohead did with their last album ‘In Rainbows’. In case you didn’t know they released it as a free of charge download without the ‘services’ of a record label. This was seen by many (including me) as a pivotal moment in music history and a chance for many artists to break free of the corporate shackles most massive over-powering record labels like to strap to their ankles. Had Radiohead had enough of boardroom executives telling them what they could and couldn’t release and finally seen the light? Or did they get sick of the fact they were not being paid enough for their music? When Radiohead did release ‘In Rainbows’ free of charge they made it available for people to make a ‘donation’ or ‘contribution’ on the website they released it via if they wish to. This almost guaranteed some return of sale as there are no doubt plenty of generous die-hard Radiohead fans out there who would contribute pretty much anything at the drop of a hat. As they had no interference from a label attached to them during the ‘sale’ of the album the band made an absolute killing from donations from loyal fans and basically cut out the middle men (A&R, promotions, marketing, distributors, managers, execs, overheads, etc, etc) and proved to many established and up and coming bands that you can release an album without the help of a label.
Now, as my afore mentioned friend said in his argument there is a massive difference between a band of Radiohead’s stature and appeal and that of four snotty nosed Scals who praccy in crash studios twice a week. Everyone knows if Radiohead released a fart (though some may well think I’m pretty much on the money with that comparison) it would sell and sell well. Bob Dingle and the Hairy Bollock Orchestra from some council estate in Huyton on the other hand though would have to work extremely hard to get themselves in the public eye.
But there has been the odd exception when it comes to un-signed acts.
As well as having alphabetically arranged CD’s, I’m also pretty sad enough to admit I used to watch Dragon’s Den. A few months back there were a band on called Hamfatter. Not really my cup of tea musically and the band’s manager was a bit of a Herbert, but, and it’s a big but: they went on the show looking for investment and backing so they could do all the normal stuff most bands do after they sign a record contract and receive some sort of cash advance like: release album, videos, tour, promotion, smash hotels up, etc … and they got it courtesy of Peter Jones (he’s the lanky streak of annoying piss who looks like Phil Pugh by the way – not Ryan Babel). I can’t say I’ve followed the progress of Hamfatter since they appeared on the telly, but what I hear is they are doing pretty well all with the help of some well connected business man and without the help of a record label. That speaks volumes to me as it’s a hell of a lot better than some bands do with a record contract (just look at The Zutons current position for example)
Apart from getting your balls sucked by some rat from Page Moss, another plus side of using social networking sites is to think of the money bands spend advertising and marketing (which is actually paid back to your label by you – the band by the way) when you could basically advertise the date for you latest release or next tour on your Facebook or Myspace page free of charge. An alternative to the previous two is also to create your own website or go through the shady back street process of Fly-Postering (Ben: remember that time by the Mardi? – hahaha)
Having read plenty of stories from some musicians about the perils and pitfalls of the music industry (one being the swimming pool that is full of shit you have to swim across scenario, I’ll find the story for you some time and show you it as it makes a pretty eye-opening read) it does make me wonder why some musicians continue their quest for the Holy Grail that is a record contract. Record execs (in my opinion) do nothing except delay most of their band’s progress by insisting the stuff they are about to put out is not up to their standards (even though some of these cigar smoking dickheads have never actually played an instrument or been part of a successful band in their lives). That, for me, is the root of all evil in music and it comes down to one precious thing: money and how much of it the greedy men at the top are going to make from your music!!
Maybe Radiohead did change music for the better? Maybe they were greedy and just wanted to show their label that they don’t like being ripped off? Maybe they were sick of having to answer to someone? Who knows? I know most people who read this would gladly change places with someone who has the choice to just fuck off his boss and ‘go it alone’. But, at least Radiohead did one thing many many bands all around the world strive to do with their music: they did it on their terms and they are reaping the rewards!!!
So, if your good enough and you have the will and drive to make it and have a decent fan base, who says you don’t need a label? That’s gotta make any musician feel ten feet tall … even if you are Thom Yorke!
Mol
Friday, 14 August 2009
Come One My Face ... Book
Everyone I know these days pretty much uses Facebook, Myspace or one of the many other social networking sites. Either way you try to escape it you really can’t (even if some people you know set up pages using your name!!) One bird I know spends all night on it when she gets home and gives it her full un-divided attention (her kids probably know her as ‘that fat bastard who sits upstairs on the computer all night eating Curly Wurleys & Chomps’) the same girl in question has even admitted to me that she does not clean her house or cook for her three children!! Obsessively shocking I know, but not everyone I know spends all day telling people about how big one of their shits was on these social networking sites. It doesn’t really get on my nerves as such, but it can be slightly irritating as it seems some people’s lives are pretty much dictated by FB or MS.
Now I know I’m gonna get loads of shit from some of you Facebookers who read this as you all know I don’t ‘do’ Facebook, but these social networking sites do a have plus side apart from meeting young men/women for a good old shag when you get home from the pub … they’re pretty helpful for un-signed musicians and bands.
The other day Neil mentioned on one of my Blogs about bands gaining recognition through hard graft of their own doing. It got me thinking about a few months back when I remember having a conversation with a musically learned friend of mine about what Radiohead did with their last album ‘In Rainbows’. In case you didn’t know they released it as a free of charge download without the ‘services’ of a record label. This was seen by many (including me) as a pivotal moment in music history and a chance for many artists to break free of the corporate shackles most massive over-powering record labels like to strap to their ankles. Had Radiohead had enough of boardroom executives telling them what they could and couldn’t release and finally seen the light? Or did they get sick of the fact they were not being paid enough for their music? When Radiohead did release ‘In Rainbows’ free of charge they made it available for people to make a ‘donation’ or ‘contribution’ on the website they released it via if they wish to. This almost guaranteed some return of sale as there are no doubt plenty of generous die-hard Radiohead fans out there who would contribute pretty much anything at the drop of a hat. As they had no interference from a label attached to them during the ‘sale’ of the album the band made an absolute killing from donations from loyal fans and basically cut out the middle men (A&R, promotions, marketing, distributors, managers, execs, overheads, etc, etc) and proved to many established and up and coming bands that you can release an album without the help of a label.
Now, as my afore mentioned friend said in his argument there is a massive difference between a band of Radiohead’s stature and appeal and that of four snotty nosed Scals who praccy in crash studios twice a week. Everyone knows if Radiohead released a fart (though some may well think I’m pretty much on the money with that comparison) it would sell and sell well. Bob Dingle and the Hairy Bollock Orchestra from some council estate in Huyton on the other hand though would have to work extremely hard to get themselves in the public eye.
But there has been the odd exception when it comes to un-signed acts.
As well as having alphabetically arranged CD’s, I’m also pretty sad enough to admit I used to watch Dragon’s Den. A few months back there were a band on called Hamfatter. Not really my cup of tea musically and the band’s manager was a bit of a Herbert, but, and it’s a big but: they went on the show looking for investment and backing so they could do all the normal stuff most bands do after they sign a record contract and receive some sort of cash advance like: release album, videos, tour, promotion, smash hotels up, etc … and they got it courtesy of Peter Jones (he’s the lanky streak of annoying piss who looks like Phil Pugh by the way – not Ryan Babel). I can’t say I’ve followed the progress of Hamfatter since they appeared on the telly, but what I hear is they are doing pretty well all with the help of some well connected business man and without the help of a record label. That speaks volumes to me as it’s a hell of a lot better than some bands do with a record contract (just look at The Zutons current position for example)
Apart from getting your balls sucked by some rat from Page Moss, another plus side of using social networking sites is to think of the money bands spend advertising and marketing (which is actually paid back to your label by you – the band by the way) when you could basically advertise the date for you latest release or next tour on your Facebook or Myspace page free of charge. An alternative to the previous two is also to create your own website or go through the shady back street process of Fly-Postering (Ben: remember that time by the Mardi? – hahaha)
Having read plenty of stories from some musicians about the perils and pitfalls of the music industry (one being the swimming pool that is full of shit you have to swim across scenario, I’ll find the story for you some time and show you it as it makes a pretty eye-opening read) it does make me wonder why some musicians continue their quest for the Holy Grail that is a record contract. Record execs (in my opinion) do nothing except delay most of their band’s progress by insisting the stuff they are about to put out is not up to their standards (even though some of these cigar smoking dickheads have never actually played an instrument or been part of a successful band in their lives). That, for me, is the root of all evil in music and it comes down to one precious thing: money and how much of it the greedy men at the top are going to make from your music!!
Maybe Radiohead did change music for the better? Maybe they were greedy and just wanted to show their label that they don’t like being ripped off? Maybe they were sick of having to answer to someone? Who knows? I know most people who read this would gladly change places with someone who has the choice to just fuck off his boss and ‘go it alone’. But, at least Radiohead did one thing many many bands all around the world strive to do with their music: they did it on their terms and they are reaping the rewards!!!
So, if your good enough and you have the will and drive to make it and have a decent fan base, who says you don’t need a label? That’s gotta make any musician feel ten feet tall … even if you are Thom Yorke!
Mol
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1 comment:
You were on Myspace and loving it yer ted!
And yeah, I'm there Sunday lad.
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