Quote:
Originally posted by doug_hti
YUP!
and being reasonably informed as to what's going on in the "majors" world right now, I think a lot of the problem is the current state of the labels. Sure there are very few good A&R people around anymore, but also some of these "good" A&R people (almost like mastering engineers) do not do what their gut tells them, but what their paycheck does. They are in a time that they can't afford to be fired, because they probably WONT be picked up within a week by the other labels. So everyone is scared to make a move for something different, yet they want to be the next hero. There are also VERY FEW development deals going on anymore within majors. So this doesn't stimulate "unique" and "timeless" records the same way some of the indie labels with horrible distribution and budgets do.
It just takes so much discipline, time, and money for a new artist to break through the cracks in a unique way and develop themselves, not being swayed in the process. They have to fund themselves and hold out for the right deal, coming to the table with their completely own sound, style and songs that the label can't argue with. And all this with enough of a "F*** you" attitude and enough "F*** you" money to hold out.
And even though recording is more accessible to many more acts now days, I don't think most of those acts understand what it really takes to make it, such as the discipline, practice, time, patience, energy and persistence. Too many people want to be rockstars and not enough people want to be artists/musicians. |
So true...
The major label A&Rs I know have pitifully-small budgets for new-artist signings in any category except the most blatantly-commercial, short-term ones (i.e. someone from a reality-TV show or the Star Search winner, etc.). They beg us to lower our rates for their new artist productions in exchange for their booking here when they have a bigger budget on some commercial fodder to mix.
I'm going to print out your second paragraph and put it on the wall right now.