Response to my Last Newsletter Editorial (23rd June issue)

[Armistice]

I've made $1.40 in my entire music career and I'm loving every minute of it!

LOL... I made at least $200 from CD sales when Guitar9 was in its infancy... and American dollars too... good times. Plus I always made enough from casual sales of CDs to at least cover the cost of printing them which over the course of 3 CDs was probably $3000 or thereabouts. Plus I persuaded someone to pay us $300 for the debut gig of my current band... but that's about it. Man, I'm like rich compared to you! I've been racking up almost $1.00 a week on those numbers, over 10 years...

If I do another CD I think I'll just give it away... no-one wants to pay anything any more anyway. Or perhaps do what Gerg does and have a charity donation thang..

 

[Greg_L]

Or perhaps do what Gerg does and have a charity donation thang..

I don't think that it's helped me to sell any more CD's or downloads, but that wasn't really the intent anyway. If it enticed someone on the fence to buy one, then good, but it's not a ploy to get people to buy. It's just something I want to do. I've sold way more than I thought I would, and every penny has gone to the March of Dimes. I've sold a bunch locally at gigs and at tattoo and smoke shops and shit. I aint gonna lie though, it was hard writing that first pretty sizeable check. The thought of keeping the money never entered my mind though. Plus, my wife would divorce me. I'm a dick, but not even I would stoop that low. I don't believe in karma, but if it's real, that would earn me a whole big pile of the bad kind. I'm quite happy to hand it all over to the March of Dimes. Not that I'm making huge donations, but they need it more than I do.

The next one will go towards autism research. Probably Autism Speaks

 

[miroslav]

If I do another CD I think I'll just give it away... no-one wants to pay anything any more anyway. Or perhaps do what Gerg does and have a charity donation thang..

Something that I've seen bands do and is even recommended by marketing types is to sell a T-shirt or something...and then include the CD for "free".
Of course, you put a decent price on the T-shirt/item...like $20 for instance...then say the CD is included for free.
I've seen people drop $20 on T's....so the CD feels like it really is free, but in fact you might only pay a few bucks each to get the T's made, so you still make some $ on both the T and CD too.

I also don't think it's negative at all to do it for for charity thing if that's your inclination...though personally, I prefer to keep the music side of sales purely for sake of the music, and the charity is something I can still do on my own privately.
Not that I'm selling a gazillion CDs... ...but I kinda' like to at least feel they buy it mainly for the music...
...a bit of vanity I guess.

 

[Chater-La]

When I read your editorial, I thought that you were really just offering observations on the way you see things changing, and not necessarily advocating any kind of change in particular. I was surprised then to see a response that stated that you were promoting something, when I took it to be far more objective. Maybe I missed something though.

You didn't miss anything. That's what I meant. I wasn't advocating anything, just making observations, but perhaps it came out the wrong way and at least one person was thinking that I advocated streaming. Yes, I stream as opposed to buying music, but that's just cause I am lazy, and to be honest I haven't seen my ipod in years...where did I last put it?

 

[Chater-La]

Let's not get all elitist here. You can't pick and choose your audience, and it's ridiculous to shun someone because this artist plays to what you perceive to be a 'stupid audience'. If you don't respect famous artists just because they are famous and sold out? Let's get real. They made it and it is no coincidence, they have something going- Lady Gaga started playing piano in small bars, clubs and singing... There is something to be said about 'if you build it, they will come'.

I always wanted to do this experiment: write a totally poppy radio friendly song, put crazy production, recording etc. behind it. Make it slick. Hire an image consultant to turn me into Blondie. Take some dance lessons. Hire the best photographer in the world to make me look like a playboy bunny. Then bribe and oil up all the right people in the industry to put my song on the radio/MTV. And boom. I am your next one hit wonder at least.

 

[CSP]

Guys,

A lot of what you have all said is basically what I was stating/hinting at, in the first place and that is that punters today simply do not want to pay for their music, whether it be for real listening or simply as a background noise, BUT unless record companies can get a profitable return on their investment (ie the making and selling of a recording), they will be forced to stop producing new product --- the example I gave re our latest artist is typical of what I am suggesting --- and all that will be left is the music recorded in someone's home (or similar), because the majority of recording studios arround today will have closed and only the mega priced studios who are recording film sound trascks, large commercials, etc will exist and the small band, solo artist, etc will not be able to afford to pay the price for these studios.

No studios, no record companies, no need to employ session players, arrangers, producers, engineers, etc, so why would you go to a university (for example) to undertake a course in any music related course.

I honestly believe that the recording we are soon to release will be our last recording and that not too long after that we will seriously consider selling all of our recording equipment --- more likely donate it to a school or something, because who will want to purchase it when there will be nothing to record.

I suppose it is progress --- the local blacksmith was once a very important person, then the automobile was invented and after this who wanted to ride in a horse drawn cart !!!!!!!

2012 --- R.I.P. the recording industry and all associated with it.

David

 

[Greg_L]

You can't pick and choose your audience,

Why not? I don't book shows at hip-hop clubs or latino cantinas. That would be retarded. You can and should totally pick and choose your audience.

and it's ridiculous to shun someone because this artist plays to what you perceive to be a 'stupid audience'. .

I disagree. Why is it ridiculous? Some guy literally said to "play what the people wanted to hear". That's weak. It's my opinion that if you purposefully make vapid pap that's easily digestible for the masses, then you are part of the growing problem. I have way more respect for someone that does their own thing true to themselves and goes nowhere than someone that makes music for mass appeal. It all depends on how you define success. For most people, success in music means millions of fans and dollars and nothing more. It isn't that way for everyone. Not everyone is ravaged by insecurity.

I always wanted to do this experiment: write a totally poppy radio friendly song, put crazy production, recording etc. behind it. Make it slick. Hire an image consultant to turn me into Blondie.

Blondie is an entire band.

Take some dance lessons. Hire the best photographer in the world to make me look like a playboy bunny. Then bribe and oil up all the right people in the industry to put my song on the radio/MTV. And boom. I am your next one hit wonder at least.

Is this what you mean by "if you build it...". You really just made my points for me. The stupid general public would eat it up. It doesn't take talent or skill when you've got an army of professionals behind you....but you will be successful. Yay!

 

[Lt. Bob]

Let's not get all elitist here. You can't pick and choose your audience, and it's ridiculous to shun someone because this artist plays to what you perceive to be a 'stupid audience'. If you don't respect famous artists just because they are famous and sold out? Let's get real. They made it and it is no coincidence, they have something going- Lady Gaga started playing piano in small bars, clubs and singing... There is something to be said about 'if you build it, they will come'.

I always wanted to do this experiment: write a totally poppy radio friendly song, put crazy production, recording etc. behind it. Make it slick. Hire an image consultant to turn me into Blondie. Take some dance lessons. Hire the best photographer in the world to make me look like a playboy bunny. Then bribe and oil up all the right people in the industry to put my song on the radio/MTV. And boom. I am your next one hit wonder at least.

well, that's kinda how the biggies made it.
Look at GAGA ..... the fact that she played in bars and such means nothing to me . I know literally hundreds of players that do the same and are much better than she is.

'Making it" has very little to do with talent.
Don't get me wrong ..... I don't begrudge anyone their stardom or money , although I think I have the right to call them sucky if I think they are.

Taylor Swift can't sing for instance .... she really sucks if you chase down any live footage of her actually singing ..... but she's a star.
And it's not just because she's pretty. There's LOTS of pretty/beautiful women out there.

Who knows why the public's fancy gets taken by one star or another?
I don't think anyone really knows or there'd be that someone reliably turning out star after star. No one does except for brief periods.
There's plenty of examples of artists that were produced by 'starmakers' and had plenty of great marketing but were flops.

The public is weird and their imagination gets captured by someone often for no descernable reason.

As an artist ..... I can't worry about that. I play ...... people come up and kiss my butt and tell me I'm awesome and then I get my piddling little paycheck and go home.
I'm not bitter or anything like that ...... I absolutely had my opportunity and passed it up because of family things ....... I don't regret it although having lots and lots of money would be nice.

But you live your life and then you die ........ you should live it with joy and gusto doing what you love to do. If you ever receive accolades then great ..... they always feel nice to get ..... but ultimately when you're on your death bed living your life happily will be more of a consolation than any record sales you've made.

"Making it" has ALWAYS been more about luck than anything else and now it still is ...... maybe more than ever.
There's a zillion guys out there that do anything you do just as well or better. And a zillion-1 of them won't make it.

 

[Greg_L]

well, that's kinda how the biggies made it.
Look at GAGA ..... the fact that she played in bars and such means nothing to me . I know literally hundreds of players that do the same and are much better than she is.

'Making it" has very little to do with talent.
Don't get me wrong ..... I don't begrudge anyone their stardom or money , although I think I have the right to call them sucky if I think they are.

Taylor Swift can't sing for instance .... she really sucks if you chase down any live footage of her actually singing ..... but she's a star.
And it's not just because she's pretty. There's LOTS of pretty/beautiful women out there.

Who knows why the public's fancy gets taken by one star or another?
I don't think anyone really knows or there's be that someone reliably turning out star after star. No one does except for brief periods.
There's plenty of examples of artists that were produced by 'starmakers' and had plenty of great marketing but were flops.

The public is weird and their imagination gets captured by someone often for no descernable reason.

As an artist ..... I can't worry about that. I play ...... people come up and kiss my butt and tell me I'm awesome and then I get my piddling little paycheck and go home.
I'm not bitter or anything like that ...... I absolutely had my opportunity and passed it up because of family things ....... I don't regret it although having lots and lots of money would be nice.

But you live your life and then you die ........ you should live it with joy and gusto doing what you love to do. If you ever receive accolades then great ..... they always feel nice to get ..... but ultimately when you're on your death bed living your life happily will be more of a consolation than any record sales you've made.

"Making it" has ALWAYS been more about luck than anything else and now it still is ...... maybe more than ever.
There's a zillion guys out there that do anything you do just as well or better. And a zillion-1 of them won't make it.

This x 1000000000000000000000 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


And it's especially ridiculous when someone plays the you-can't-have-an-opinion-because-you're-not-famous card. Or "they sell more record than you do!" Really? That's the barometer now? I bet I can play the guitar better than Lady Gaga, I can play the drums better than Katy Perry, and I can play bass better than Beeber. That's good enough for me. I feel that I'm more than qualified to have an opinion.

 

[CSP]

Bdenton,

You said

"Play music that people want to hear, and they will come to hear you play it, and they will want to buy your recordings."

I agree that if you play what people want to hear, they will come to hear it, BUT today it is becomming more evident that they will NOT buy your recording, but go on line and get it for virtually nothing and expect it to be this way.

One of our local mega telco companies has this week announced that it has introduced a new streaming service where you pay $6.95/mth and you have full access to 50mil (or something) tracks, I also know someone who regularly downloads mega gigs of music overnight and pays for none of it.

Remember, my record company recently received $0.001 as payment for a downloaded song --- it's going to be a long time before I can buy a Maccas meal at this rate !!!!!

By the way, I was not trying to insult Charter-La in my initial communication to him, but rather put across the point of view that everyone involved in the industry that we all enjoy so much, should be entitled to get a reasonable return for supplying others with their enjoyment.

No one would expect to go to a Lady GaGa concert for free, so why should any one expect to be able to obtain her music for free, or so close to it that it could be considered free?

David

 

[Lt. Bob]

And it's especially ridiculous when someone plays the you-can't-have-an-opinion-because-you're-not-famous card. Or "they sell more record than you do!" Really? That's the barometer now?

yeah ..... that's always been a dumb response to not liking someone that's big.

"How many records have you sold?" .... as if that has anything to do with music.

 

[Lt. Bob]

By the way, I was not trying to insult Charter-La in my initial communication to him,

it's SHE ....... just had a baby and everything.

I sympathize with your situation. In my case I just keep on doing live gigs but as a recording company you don't have that option.
I wish I could tell you things will turn around but I don't believe they will change.

 

[Greg_L]

The fucking Wiggles sell tons of records too. they must be great musicians and songwriters.

 

[Greg_L]

Bdenton,

You said

I agree that if you play what people want to hear, they will come to hear it, BUT today it is becomming more evident that they will NOT buy your recording, but go on line and get it for virtually nothing and expect it to be this way.

One of our local mega telco companies has this week announced that it has introduced a new streaming service where you pay $6.95/mth and you have full access to 50mil (or something) tracks, I also know someone who regularly downloads mega gigs of music overnight and pays for none of it.

Remember, my record company recently received $0.001 as payment for a downloaded song --- it's going to be a long time before I can buy a Maccas meal at this rate !!!!!

By the way, I was not trying to insult Charter-La in my initial communication to him, but rather put across the point of view that everyone involved in the industry that we all enjoy so much, should be entitled to get a reasonable return for supplying others with their enjoyment.

No one would expect to go to a Lady GaGa concert for free, so why should any one expect to be able to obtain her music for free, or so close to it that it could be considered free?

David

I have a paid subscription with Rhapsody. I can listen to anything I want that's available through them. It beats buying CDs or downloads. If you're not gonna flat out rip it off via torrent sites or file sharing, the stream-for-cheap is the next best option for listeners. I'm being honest here, I'm only looking out for me and I don't care about the "artists" or the record companies.

 

[Lt. Bob]

I have a paid subscription with Rhapsody. I can listen to anything I want that's available through them. It beats buying CDs or downloads. If you're not gonna flat out rip it off via torrent sites or file sharing, the stream-for-cheap is the next best option for listeners. I'm being honest here, I'm only looking out for me and I don't care about the "artists" or the record companies.

when I listen for fun I go to my vinyl collection but I rarely do that anymore since I'm working so much. When I need to learn a tune I go to Myspace and they have a buttload of stuff that streams. I just use the stream for learning stuff.

 

[Greg_L]

when I listen for fun I go to my vinyl collection but I rarely do that anymore since I'm working so much. When I need to learn a tune I go to Myspace and they have a buttload of stuff that streams. I just use the stream for learning stuff.

...........................

 

[Lt. Bob]

I've never illegally downloaded a song ........ never ...... not one single time. Never used Napster or ..... hmmmm, that's the only one I know the name of.
But I never used any of the illegal downloading sites ever ....... never ...... ever.

I have a grand total of zero music on my 'puter .... the ONLY music on my 'puter are things I'm gonna post here at HR.
Really ..... nothing else.
I don't download songs ever.
I have no MP3 player of any kind. Well , presumably my phone will but I don't even know how to use that function.

 

[Greg_L]

.......................

 

[Lt. Bob]

.............................

 

[Lt. Bob]

I'm always amazed at your insight!...