Get up-to-date on the latest happenings in the industry.
Compiled from various news sources.
The North by Northeast (NXNE) Music & Film Festival and Conference (www.nxne.com) is getting ready to take over Toronto once more! Running June 12-15, 2008, NXNE invites fans of indie music and film (to the table to) feast on some of the freshest, coolest music and film being produced today. NXNE is three events in one: a music festival, a film festival and an industry conference.
Epitaph is proud to announce the signing of Minneapolis-based power-pop rockers Sing It Loud. The group recently entered the studio with producer and labelmate Josh Cain of Motion City Soundtrack to begin work on their forthcoming debut album, which will be released in fall 2008.
The Ft Worth based Sky Eats Airplane is about to release Everything Perfect On The Wrong Day on CD for the first time by Thriving Records & Tragic Hero Records. The band combines warm electronic blips, bleeps and sound effects that would fit well in the old Atari and Nintendo game consoles with churning metal-core weight and intricate melodies resulting in both mosh pit and dance club behavior live. Reaching far beyond their Ft. Worth roots, the band has toured with such acts as Misery Signals, Emmure, Born Of Osiris, The Human Abstract and Gwen Stacy.
Does anyone care that.....FIRST BOOK ON AMY WINEHOUSE RELEASED BY OMNIBUS PRESS; The World's Leading Publisher Of Rock And Pop Books Has Announced The Release Of The First Biography On Troubled Retro Soul Diva Amy Winehouse (note from joelle: barf)
THE STARTING LINE TO HEADLINE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR; Featuring Special Guests Steel Train, Four Year Strong And Bayside
UNIVERSAL MUSIC AUSTRALIA SIGNS XO PUBLICITY'S DUKES OF WINDSOR. Yep.
Trent Reznor is enjoying his post-major label freedom, but independence carries its own baggage. On Sunday, the NIN creator launched an experimental album release, one that includes both free and paid elements. That echoes an earlier, groundbreaking concept by Radiohead, one that yielded mixed results.
EMI Music continued to shuffle the decks on Monday, part of a continuing reorganization. The company minted two new recording-focused business units, and slotted executives to head those divisions. The first is the self-explanatory Catalog, Compilations, Studios and Archives unit; and the other is the Licensing and Synch department.
Warner Music Group downloads are now floating DRM-free throughout Europe, thanks to a deal involving 7digital. The partnership, announced Monday, spreads MP3s into the UK, Ireland, Spain, France and Germany. That is a strong step for Warner, and part of a steady thaw on protected content. The deal, negotiated through Warner Music International, includes both singles and albums.
Beverly Hills-based William Morris Agency is now playing a venture capitalist card, part of an expanding role for the Hollywood powerbroker. Morris has joined forces with Accel Partners and Venrock, and even roped AT&T into the action.
The Honorary Title is looking for a touring guitarist (and ideally back up vocalist) to go on the road with them on a headlinning tour from next week (yikes) to the end of April.
Showing posts with label **In the biz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label **In the biz. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Major labels - Falling on deaf ears?
Major record labels – falling on deaf ears?
There is no denying that the mainstream music labels (EMI, Sony BMG, Warner, and Island/Def jam) are in a critical yet sorry state at the moment. After the redundancy of 1800 EMI employees in December, problems have surfaced concerning the future of music industry employees and even the artists themselves. Cautious not to follow the well trodden road which asks ‘is illegal downloading to blame?’ the question should really be what happens next? And although signing to a major label can have its endless promotional advantages, can doing it on your own be just as effective?
As the start of 2008 kicks in, many record label employees will be feeling the low morale and stress as major companies cut costs, artists and put jobs on the line. CD sales in the US for 2007 plummeted by nineteen percent and there is no sign of a U-turn any time soon. EMI, recently purchased by UK investor Terra Firma, plans to spend £110m ($154m) on restructuring the company. The move is said to generate savings of £98m but will add to their ever growing debt of £1.65bn.
EMI are not the only company guilty here. Island/Def Jam have laid of some of its most important players including A+R VP Rob Stevenson, (who signed Fall out boy and the Killers.) as well as many other top executives in their radio promotions department. Sony BMG have also sacked between seventy and eighty employees within the last two months.
This all may seem like pointless trivia to some and it is obvious being signed to a major label can increase your bands success and reputation to no end. Any major label band will tell you that getting signed is just the beginning, but with resources and money for promotional uses being budgeted into other departments, how much can you achieve on your own before needing help from the men in suits and how can you do it?
Lets start with the obvious and probably most significant fuck you to major labels as of late. Radiohead. After being signed to EMI until 2005
, they decided to release their seventh album ‘In rainbows’ online for any price you please. Having refused to release any financial figures about the experiment, the group were making headlines, proving to everyone who
Opposed the idea that money means nothing. The album claimed number 1 both in the UK and the USA and sold around 7.1 million copies.
DIY culture is something that is highly admired and greatly respected within the music industry. With the right attitude and motivation anything is possible. Take for example, local Edinburgh band The mars patrol. (www.themarspatrol.com). The band have self funded everything they have so far achieved and have self released singles and EP’s to a record label standard. The bands close communication with their fans via online communities and producing a mini TV series (made available throughout Itunes) has gained then the respect they deserve. In this respect This is proof that a band can make their future their own and still retain all creative freedom.
Over in the USA, Californian bands such as Army of freshmen are another living example of self funded success. With major support slots opening for Bowling for soup, multiple tours in the UK and US, funded by even selling their own cars, sacrifice is often the key to success. Having gained a record deal from a Blue hand record, they thought they had cracked it. Blue hand lost all their distrobution as the release of their self titled record loomed. AOF decided to shape their fate and took the records on tours they organized and funded. The bands sold over
10 000 off their own back and lead to such opportunities as a spot on Japans sonic festival which has resulted in this band building is firm base far east.
So if this piece doesn’t at least give you some information on the state of the music business today, it might at least give you a little hope in knowing that making your band you life can be done on your own. It just takes a little hard work.
Gina xo
There is no denying that the mainstream music labels (EMI, Sony BMG, Warner, and Island/Def jam) are in a critical yet sorry state at the moment. After the redundancy of 1800 EMI employees in December, problems have surfaced concerning the future of music industry employees and even the artists themselves. Cautious not to follow the well trodden road which asks ‘is illegal downloading to blame?’ the question should really be what happens next? And although signing to a major label can have its endless promotional advantages, can doing it on your own be just as effective?
As the start of 2008 kicks in, many record label employees will be feeling the low morale and stress as major companies cut costs, artists and put jobs on the line. CD sales in the US for 2007 plummeted by nineteen percent and there is no sign of a U-turn any time soon. EMI, recently purchased by UK investor Terra Firma, plans to spend £110m ($154m) on restructuring the company. The move is said to generate savings of £98m but will add to their ever growing debt of £1.65bn.
EMI are not the only company guilty here. Island/Def Jam have laid of some of its most important players including A+R VP Rob Stevenson, (who signed Fall out boy and the Killers.) as well as many other top executives in their radio promotions department. Sony BMG have also sacked between seventy and eighty employees within the last two months.
This all may seem like pointless trivia to some and it is obvious being signed to a major label can increase your bands success and reputation to no end. Any major label band will tell you that getting signed is just the beginning, but with resources and money for promotional uses being budgeted into other departments, how much can you achieve on your own before needing help from the men in suits and how can you do it?
Lets start with the obvious and probably most significant fuck you to major labels as of late. Radiohead. After being signed to EMI until 2005
, they decided to release their seventh album ‘In rainbows’ online for any price you please. Having refused to release any financial figures about the experiment, the group were making headlines, proving to everyone who
Opposed the idea that money means nothing. The album claimed number 1 both in the UK and the USA and sold around 7.1 million copies.
DIY culture is something that is highly admired and greatly respected within the music industry. With the right attitude and motivation anything is possible. Take for example, local Edinburgh band The mars patrol. (www.themarspatrol.com). The band have self funded everything they have so far achieved and have self released singles and EP’s to a record label standard. The bands close communication with their fans via online communities and producing a mini TV series (made available throughout Itunes) has gained then the respect they deserve. In this respect This is proof that a band can make their future their own and still retain all creative freedom.
Over in the USA, Californian bands such as Army of freshmen are another living example of self funded success. With major support slots opening for Bowling for soup, multiple tours in the UK and US, funded by even selling their own cars, sacrifice is often the key to success. Having gained a record deal from a Blue hand record, they thought they had cracked it. Blue hand lost all their distrobution as the release of their self titled record loomed. AOF decided to shape their fate and took the records on tours they organized and funded. The bands sold over
10 000 off their own back and lead to such opportunities as a spot on Japans sonic festival which has resulted in this band building is firm base far east.
So if this piece doesn’t at least give you some information on the state of the music business today, it might at least give you a little hope in knowing that making your band you life can be done on your own. It just takes a little hard work.
Gina xo
Friday, February 15, 2008
Butch Walks Away From Major Label
A great gain has been made in the world of Independent music this week. Butch Walker has crossed the line and joined our team.
Yesterday, the double threat musician/producer officially released his new live album, Leaving The Game on Lucky St. as a two-disk FREE download from his newly launched Web site- aptly titled www.therecordbusinessisfucked.com.
In an official announcement sent out earlier, Walker stated "The record business is f---ed, but not for bands. It's the most exciting, positive time for music, as rock n'' roll and indie pop have gone completely back underground. And to see artists be able to release albums whenever they want, for whatever they want, and not have to fear sending in their cover art, only to have the art department airbrush off the singer's mustache (in fear of not selling to a certain demographic or f---ing statistic) is wonderful. Essentially, everything they have or haven't done in the past, I will purposely do the opposite... And probably make my first paycheck."
Epic Records certainly didn't live up to its name during the years it was privileged enough to have Walker on its roster. The label truly had an EPIC talent in its hands. Someone who, if the bigwigs focused on promoting, could've caused such a music frenzy world-wide he'd be the new Elvis. "Letters" is one of the best Pop albums ever written. It combines all the elements: huge hooks, emotional moments and blastable tunes that will become generational anthems. But sadly, there was little press or promotion to the outside world.
Walker quickly quadrupled (at least it seems that way), his fan base once that album was released. MySpace and Internet word of mouth played a big role in it, as did Walker himself. So really, why have a label at all? To suck away money for doing really nothing because it would rather focus on the cheesy flavor of the week act that just like a band on a competitor's roster?
No one can come close to commanding a stage like Walker. His legions of adoring fans around the world already know that. Now that the ball is in HIS court, a lot more should be discovering that, as well. They will also most likely pay the nominal sum of $5.99 to download the higher quality MP3s, and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the soon-to-be-released live DVD.
Another source of eagerness is the upcoming collaborative effort with guitarist Michael Guy Chislett from The Academy Is... and drummer Darren Dodd from the Let's Go Out Tonites, as the band 1969. Get ready America, Butch Walker's time has finally come.
Keep your ear pealed to everything and your eyes locked on www.myspace.com/butchwalker.
If you're new to the Butch Walker world, be sure to check out the Planet Verge Tribute to him at: http://planetverge.com/pv07/interviews/ButchWalker.asp
*By Joelle, who made her entire office Butch Walker mixed CDs for Christmas.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Independent Music Awards Finalists Announced!
Val Emmich nominated for an Independent Music Award!
"The Only One Lonely," MUSIC VIDEO by Val Emmich has been nominated for an Independent Music Award!
Your vote counts! Go to
http://www.musiciansatlas.com/pages/IMAFinalist/
and vote in the 7th Annual IMA Jukebox Vox Populi
and while you're there vote for Scott & Aimee in the PUNK category!
"The Only One Lonely," MUSIC VIDEO by Val Emmich has been nominated for an Independent Music Award!
Your vote counts! Go to
http://www.musiciansatlas.com/pages/IMAFinalist/
and vote in the 7th Annual IMA Jukebox Vox Populi
and while you're there vote for Scott & Aimee in the PUNK category!
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