Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 I find it intriguing that you are arguing but your band's myspace says you are on a label. Why aren't you doing it all alone? Probably because it is easier to do it with some help Ah, a question for me now. :poke: That's my label, a label for one and only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 I'd like to hear your opinions as well instead of you just telling me I'm wrong. I don't remember if I said you were wrong, I may have to go back and look. What I want to know is why I can't do all this on my own? I've released albums on my own, got them in stores like virgin. I've gotten bands on some big stages without knowing anyone. The guys from Deep Blue Something have a studio here, $50 an hour. That's pretty {censored}ing cheap! We have our own equipment now so we do it for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 What I find is hard is finding good musicians to use in the studio. Gary has helped me with that though. The man has connections! {censored}, renting the studio is the cheapest thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tws! Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 What I find is hard is finding good musicians to use in the studio. Gary has helped me with that though. The man has connections! {censored}, renting the studio is the cheapest thing. Not when you are paying a producer and engineers. Yes, you can do it yourself, but I'd leave it in the hands of people who have made great sounding albums time and again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tws! Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 But that's not the answer. There is you telling me I am wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tws! Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Ok, name a studio and the "discounted" price they give to labels. You really think that studios don't give discounts to labels that use them over and over again? You must be kidding. If you go back to the same music shop or contractor time and again, they are going to start helping you out as well for the loyal patronage. It's not like you are going to walk in and say I own X label now give this band studio time at half off, but there are discounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tws! Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 What I find is hard is finding good musicians to use in the studio. Gary has helped me with that though. The man has connections! {censored}, renting the studio is the cheapest thing. That is the hard thing, especially if it's all studio musicians. Good luck on finding a bassist and drummer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Not when you are paying a producer and engineers. Yes, you can do it yourself, but I'd leave it in the hands of people who have made great sounding albums time and again. The $50 an hour gets that too. The guys from Deep Blue Something do a pretty good job too. It could be $75. I can't remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 You HAVE to have connections in the industry. There are so many people I didn't know and I can't think of any that introduced me that lead me to greater success. I'm not saying I've had my success yet, but I've not reach that point where I said I need any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 You really think that studios don't give discounts to labels that use them over and over again? You must be kidding. If you go back to the same music shop or contractor time and again, they are going to start helping you out as well for the loyal patronage. It's not like you are going to walk in and say I own X label now give this band studio time at half off, but there are discounts. I've never used a label to find out. The fact that I don't get a discount isn't going to hold me back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CLOCK13 Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 I've been thinking about this lately, does anyone feel pressure to release albums or eps as an indie artist? Whenever I speak to anyone from the press or business side of the industry, it always goes back to whether or not my band or whoever's band has an upcoming album release. I get the same thing from friends, when is an album or ep coming out, etc. In addition, I read about tons of new local releases in the papers...often times these releases are put together rather quickly and not labored over. I've seen plenty of cd-r's posing as "full fledged albums" come into the college radio station too. Is there too much pressure on indie artists to release albums when they're not ready? Or too little pressure? The majors are no different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Poker99 Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Sure you did. Not one thing you said explained why I can't do it without them. Please, use the word "can't". I'd like to know what I can't do. NIN doesn't have a mjor label. Think someone is going to turn them down to do a show? (this is going to prove my point) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Booya Tribe Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 BTW, we release our own albums. What can a record label do that we can't?! A label can pay for your recording and send it to press, magazines, etc. You can do it yourself if you work hard enough, but it will be taken more seriously if it is sent by a label with a reputation. One thing that an established label can do that you may have a hard time doing is get your record into a good distribution. That is one thing that small labels and self-released folks always have a hard time with - getting distro. Most established labels already have an "in" with distributors and anything they release automatically gets sent to record stores nationwide. Edit: Sorry, I realized you have just been through all this with someone else. I am not going to get drawn into your games, so don't bother. I am just saying what I have seen. I know a lot of people who have been self-releasing and even running a small label for years, even donating the majority of their time to it and still do not have good distro. Is it impossible to get yourself distro'd? No, but you will have a lot easier time if you have the support of someone who has already done the work of getting in with a distro. Otherwise, plan on not only working hard on your band, but also on your label. They are two entirely different worlds. One thing I will say is that your attitude won't get you anywhere. It has been my general experience that most people in the indie music world are very nice, down-to-earth people, doing what they do mostly because it is what they enjoy, and that they don't take well to people who aren't willing to be personable, reasonable people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sabriel9v Posted March 27, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Sure you did. Not one thing you said explained why I can't do it without them. Please, use the word "can't". I'd like to know what I can't do.NIN doesn't have a mjor label. Think someone is going to turn them down to do a show? (this is going to prove my point) NIN had major label support prior to being THE NIN. Before they were a big name act and Trent Reznor's name could pack stadiums, they need major label dollars to give them widespread exposure. You may not like labels and that's fine. But if you want to break through the indie ceiling and move up on the corporate food chain, you're going to have to get dirty and work with a label. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sabriel9v Posted March 27, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 The majors are no different. This is true. But major labels have contracts with their artists. They place pressure on them to maintain the stipulations agreed upon in the contracts. Indie artists receive pressure from friends, family, bookies, local writers, festival coordinators, the whole gamut. For the most part, these are people who have invested very little time and virtually no money in the act. So...why is there pressure to create an end result or product? To think, we're not even signed to labels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 Edit: Sorry, I realized you have just been through all this with someone else. I am not going to get drawn into your games, so don't bother. I am just saying what I have seen. I know a lot of people who have been self-releasing and even running a small label for years, even donating the majority of their time to it and still do not have good distro. Is it impossible to get yourself distro'd? No, but you will have a lot easier time if you have the support of someone who has already done the work of getting in with a distro.Otherwise, plan on not only working hard on your band, but also on your label. They are two entirely different worlds.One thing I will say is that your attitude won't get you anywhere. It has been my general experience that most people in the indie music world are very nice, down-to-earth people, doing what they do mostly because it is what they enjoy, and that they don't take well to people who aren't willing to be personable, reasonable people. My attitude got me on in the Wall St. Journal, USA Today, and a cover story for US News. As much as I hate to use this stupid quote, but I've mastered "work smarter, not harder". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 27, 2008 Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 NIN had major label support prior to being THE NIN. Before they were a big name act and Trent Reznor's name could pack stadiums, they need major label dollars to give them widespread exposure. You may not like labels and that's fine. But if you want to break through the indie ceiling and move up on the corporate food chain, you're going to have to get dirty and work with a label. I'm going to spend $150K on a full page ad in Rolling Stone. No label is doing that for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sabriel9v Posted March 27, 2008 Author Members Share Posted March 27, 2008 I'm going to spend $150K on a full page ad in Rolling Stone. No label is doing that for me. I'm not even going to respond to your "points"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted March 28, 2008 Members Share Posted March 28, 2008 BTW, we release our own albums. What can a record label do that we can't?! Get you hard copy distribution worldwide Get you national and international airplay on commercial stations Get you top flight promotion Arrange appearances on major television programs (SNL, Tonight Show, Conan O' Brian, Austin City Limits, etc) Bundle your band with other major label acts for world tours Open the door to top booking agencies Get your songs in the hands of other artists/producers who can turn them into hitsAmong other things. Major labels out source this too. As i said, I've gotten CDs in stores like Best Buy and Virgin. It was really easy too. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO PAY THEM ANYTHING!!!!! FYI, most major labels own their own distribution companies or are partnered with them like SONY/BMG, etc. And yes, you can get your records in most chain stores at the local level. But it is virtually impossible to do and maintain at the national and international level. And I don't believe you didn't have to pay them. Every chain I've dealt with takes at least 4-5 dollars of every CD sold. As far as Itunes etc, that is 'distribution' in the broadest sense of the term, in that your stuff is available along with 5000 other bands. But it is nothing like hard copy distribution where the record company sends out posters and promo displays to the distributor with your records, and you are given space in new release sections of record stores with promo art to go with it. Itunes is great, but it depends on active seekers, where labels can hit impulse buyers. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted March 28, 2008 Members Share Posted March 28, 2008 My attitude got me on in the Wall St. Journal, USA Today, and a cover story for US News. As much as I hate to use this stupid quote, but I've mastered "work smarter, not harder". Really? Is that why you have so much time to post here everyday? Oh, wait...you must be talking about your day job, not the music business. Because if you were anywhere near where you say you were in the music business, you woulden't have time to crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cygnus64 Posted March 28, 2008 Members Share Posted March 28, 2008 Major labels out source this too. As i said, I've gotten CDs in stores like Best Buy and Virgin. It was really easy too. I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO PAY THEM ANYTHING!!!!!iTunes is really easy to get on, and they're the second largest music retailer. And what are your sales like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pjrake Posted March 28, 2008 Members Share Posted March 28, 2008 zero, listen to bluestrat here (one of the more experienced and successful members on these boards). his post here is so on-point that it really should put an end as to why major labels are still an important part of our music industry, whether we like it or not. -PJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 28, 2008 Members Share Posted March 28, 2008 FYI, most major labels own their own distribution companies or are partnered with them like SONY/BMG, etc. In the past 10 years, most have laid off staff and outsourced distribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 28, 2008 Members Share Posted March 28, 2008 Really? Is that why you have so much time to post here everyday? Oh, wait...you must be talking about your day job, not the music business. Because if you were anywhere near where you say you were in the music business, you woulden't have time to crap. I don't have a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZERO HEROES Posted March 28, 2008 Members Share Posted March 28, 2008 zero, listen to bluestrat here (one of the more experienced and successful members on these boards). his post here is so on-point that it really should put an end as to why major labels are still an important part of our music industry, whether we like it or not.-PJ I never said they weren't important. Every starting band I know is broke and poor, they need them badly. I'm not and I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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