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ivan@stellysee.de
| From | Ryan Williams <ryan@headphonetreats.com> |
| Subject | Re: Colter's rant, etc. |
| Date | Mon, 14 Jul 2003 11:07:50 -0400 |
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> Good post, Matty. I wouldn't argue with the first three lines, but it
> WAS
> easier in the mid '90s. That said, if a touring band can tap into a
> sizable
> established subculture (four I can think of off the top of my head:
> jam, blues,
> emo, alt-country), you're in much better shape.
Hmmmm... see, this was not my experience in the early to mid 90's. I
guess I can see your perspective from the standpoint of an established
"indie" band signing to a major label or even one of the mega-indies
(subPop, Matador) who had major label distro ties at the time. I will
also concede that fans were more supportive of local music scenes in the
80's and early 90's. But until the internet really took hold, it was
nearly impossible for a "unsigned" band to get noticed or sell records
on a national, not to mention worldwide, level. Your only hope was to
play out non-stop and pray that an A&R guy saw you, liked you, and kept
his job long enough to offer you a demo deal. That's not to say that it
is easy now. Everyone has a band who are looking for success on some
level. But at least now there is a method of fast access, communication
and networking in place. Lists such as this one and even the P2P
networks really help bands get good music across to new potential fans.
I just don't see this as such a gloomy time for music. Things are
changing, sure... but that is not necessarily a bad thing. As a fan,
artist, and label owner, I find it to be a very exciting time and view
the state of the industry more along the lines of wiping the slate clean.
Ryan
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