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By Bob Lefsetz
1. They tell you what to do.
Are you following this Kelly Clarkson flap? She made an
album from the heart, that she wrote. What did the label do?
They shelved it for months, hoping she'd come to her senses
and record some more upbeat hit tracks just like the ones
she recorded before, positive not NEGATIVE! Who wants to
hear about Kelly's love losses, no one in the audience ever
broke up with their boyfriend!
Now you might think Kelly is a mindless twit, with a voice
only. But she'll tell you she wrote hit records for
others. And, she's sold a FUCK OF A LOT OF RECORDS!
Used to be selling records gave you leverage… If KELLY
CLARKSON has no leverage, what hope is there for you,
someone selling ONE TENTH the number of discs!
2. They're only in the disc business.
Well, we'll call it recorded music. If they ever figure
out how to monetize Net acquisition, maybe their fortunes
will change. But for now, the label only makes money if they
sell your music. They'll do whatever it takes to sell your
music, TODAY, to run up the value of the company so it can
be sold to someone else. They'll whore you out to
corporations (say this to yourself, "Verizon is not my friend."),
release multiple singles (if they get any traction at all),
do whatever's best for THEM, not YOU! Your career…they
might pay lip service to it, but they don't really give a
shit, the employees are probably not going to be IN this
business by the time your next album comes out.
As for labels getting a piece of your touring income, other
revenue sources, do you want to marry someone DESPERATE?
3. They don't pay you.
Oh, they'll give you an ever-shrinking advance. But
royalties? No one sells enough albums to go into royalties
anymore. And they own the rights to the recording. Terry
McBride's got it right, you want to control all the rights, so
you can license INSTANTLY! So you don't have to get someone
on the phone to say YES to YOU about YOUR music!
Oh, they'll give you money to get started, but it's like
making a deal with the Mafia, they own you, forever.
4. There's no one working there.
Most analysts believe Warner cut its workforce to make its
balance sheet look better, to stanch losses, hopefully
report profits. In other words, it's got nothing to do with
whether these people were NEEDED, whether they had jobs
integral to the company, just what their salaries and benefits
were. Oh, the company can outsource these jobs, but when
you go for a meeting at the label do you really want to sit
in an empty boardroom with a speaker phone on a conference
call with a zillion temporary workers? Whose allegiance is
not to this company, hell, why should it be, they've got to
make their nut every month, they've got OTHER CUSTOMERS!
So, going to the building to work the label…that's a
passe concept.
And, what if they don't outsource/get independent
contractors to do the work? Will it be done at all? And, how well,
by the overworked, multitasking employees still left?
5. They just care SOMETHING hits.
The label doesn't give a shit about you hitting, they just
care that SOMETHING breaks through. And as soon as it
does, your work project goes to the bottom of the pile. If you
own your own copyrights, own the label, you're ALWAYS the
priority!
6. They control physical distribution, not online
distribution.
They can get your disc in stores. Then again, CAN THEY?
Online, distribution is close to flat. Make a deal with
CDBaby, they can get you on all the online services, can get
you paid. You don't need to be with a major to get into
the online store.
As for albums… Do you really think albums will be the
definitive format in the future?
7. Tour support is a thing of the past.
Not completely. But it's just about gone. And more than
ever you need to break on the road. If you're doing all the
work, why shouldn't you get all the profit?
8. They only want you once you've proven yourself
independently.
If you've created the base, why give up control now?
9. MTV is dead.
You don't need a big budget video which won't be aired
anywhere anyway. You just need a digital camera and Final Cut
Pro, maybe even iMovie, and you can create a video for
almost nothing and put it up on YouTube where it's got as much
presence, as much priority, as the majors' efforts. And,
you control the budget. Zillions aren't spent, and they're
not charged back to you.
10. Terrestrial music radio is dying.
If Pink can go to number one at Top Forty and languish at
the bottom of the SoundScan Top Fifty, selling 15k a week,
how important is that airplay ANYWAY? As for other
formats… Hot AC doesn't sell many records, and AOR is an oldies
format and the Alternative panel has shrunk to almost
nothing and Active Rock…that's not selling tonnage either.
11. They specialize in saying no.
Music is now about inspiration, made by the seat of one's
pants. You have to do business the same way. In this fast,
ever-changing world, you need to take risks, you've got to
make snap decisions, you've got to be able to say yes,
QUICKLY! The major is against innovation, it's hard to get an
answer AT ALL, never mind YES!
You want to give your new track away for free? No! They
won't even let you SELL IT if it competes with the track
they're working at radio/in the marketplace. It's not about
artistry, but commerce.
But, if all you care about is commerce, if you want all
your money up front, if you want to whore yourself out to
corporations, do whatever it takes to sell your lame, paint by
numbers built by committee music, then sign with the major
label. I hope you achieve your goal and get instantly
rich, because after this instant, you'll be done.
8:33 AM
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