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| From | Not Lame <popmusic@notlame.com> |
| Subject | Wendi's "rant" and more from Not Lame... |
| Date | Mon, 14 Jul 2003 09:15:41 -0600 |
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> If you don't care to do any of that, then do the
> artists you love a favor and run with David Bash's
> fantastic idea to organize as consumers and put some
> pressure on the industry in areas that you absolutely
> know something about and can speak on with tons of
> authority.
I'll see what folks think of all this next week asi'm heading out of town
in a few hours...but reading this very early this morning, all I could do
was cheer loudly to myself to the junkyard dogs outside my office window
waiting for the sun to break....
>
> So, that's why I get so steamed up when this subject
> comes up -- and I have to tell you guys that every
> time I do, I get a lot of offlist email from musicians
> and various industry-type list folks applauding me for
> being so gutsy as to tell the truth about THEIR
> experience when I tell mine and expressing the same
> frustrations with the fans. (And I appreciate it and
> I love you guys, but I kinda wish you'd post your
> thoughts directly to the list for all to benefit from,
> ya know.)
I very much relate to what Wendi wrote, must say...and told her so. I have
posted a *lot* here, over the years, on these subjects so I don't post here
all the time when some of these issues come up as I have a dull thud of a
feeling many folks see my name, subject matter and go 'here we go again' and
move on, as well, this is a board for FANS, not industry folks. And I don't
blame 'em.
But quickly(well, maybe not), I'll take Wendi's bait, it's always
frustrating for the 8+ years Not Lame has been going with dealing w/ the
large amount of apathy and indifference from the fans that supposedly
connect to the niche we specialize in and profusely expound their love and
support for it inside online boards. But I see very activity on this list to
bother to post about other indie/DIY artists outside of our labels (man, we
put up on a our site each week about 5-10 DIY releases that are, generally,
quite awesome and pretty much never see any of these bands get talked about
on this list......again, this is not a criticism, just an observation
shared----Seriously, does anyone ever notice how *little* truly indie bands
or DIY releases get talked about here in substance but the major label/large
indie bands with publicity machines tend to have their bait hit the hook?
Does anyone care? Robert's post about this list possibly breaking in two
different boards with one board devoted to *only* talk about music was met
with one massive THUD of nothing, literally nothing. I wrote a long post
supporting the idea to talk about it waiting to see if anyone was interested
in this---but then this thread took over and was going to wait......but
until the new threads hit, no one responded. It's legit question to talk
about as list, imho. ). Fact is, there's not a lot of interest on a board
like this on small indie/DIY music. And, that is okay, but it is a shame.
Now, I read Albini's first version of his article back, what, 1995? It's a
manifesto for generations, but it begat every music fan thinking everyone
thinks a label, indie or major, is reeling in huge barrels of money. Fact
is, our free market economics reward the folks taking the largest financial
risk inside the established power strucutures they operate in(man, I sound
like a Marxist!). And the creative component is last in the line. That IS
changing now, is the very good news w/ more and more artists, large and
small, being able to take care of the modes of production and distribution,
as well as promotion.
But guess what? The idea of labels being the robber barons in the music
industry could not be *further* from the truth. I've watched this label,
Not Lame Recordings, struggle to sell a 1,000-2,000 copies of record to
struggling to do the same selling hundreds. And the music we're seeing and
putting out is exponentially better than what we were doing, say, 5 years
ago. Sure, there's the occasional project that kicks ass, but while the
label has always had a goal of breaking even(selling other people's music on
the site acts as a benefactor of the label, quite honestly), it's become a
financial drain 'n strain, more and more.
And, as I tell many folks, I *often* wonder what is the relevance of doing
an indie label for the artist when there is next to no financial pay-off for
them. Or one that now equals or exceeds what they can do on their own.
No whining, just facts. I think it's, ultimately, a good thing where's all
going and the growing, evolutionary pains the industry has been experiencing
the last few years(for a few more) will work itself in the good 'ole free
market and we'll continue to be very happy music fans. Truly I do.
But the type of folks that populate this list are *crucial* to the promotion
to the extolling virtues of indie/DIY music to the spheres of their personal
influence, online and offline ----- and are a crucial component in the
process of creating a (hopeful) economic viability for artists to continue
to create music and get something in the process. Same goes for the indie
labels that will be able to survive this shakeup.
So, in final, as much as personally (and professionally) enjoy so many great
major label bands, for this list, it would be great to see more talk of
great indie/DIY music and openess to checking some of them out and post the
good 'n bad about them. And, remember, it's just music.....have fun in the
process and don't take it too seriously. :-)
(to be clear, I'm not saying 'no talk' about major labels bands, just a bit
less myopic fixation on talking about the obvious)
(sorry I won't be able to respond for a little while on any of this as I'm
headin gout of town...but look forward to reading more great exchange of
opines like this).
Peace Out,
Bruce @ Not Lame Recordings
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