Is LA still a good place to be for music?

[mbradzick]

Hi,

I'm finally doing music full time (well, working as an engineer part time for now).

Is LA still a good place to be for music or has it shifted?

I know LA hasn't had a scene since the 80s and hasn't had a good scene since the 60s & 70s.

[robmix]

huh, if you can't find a scene in L.A. you aren't looking very hard. . . . . . I've been busy since I moved here 14 years ago, thankfully !!!!!!

[James Lugo]

I still think it's the place to be.

[Akshay]

great

but i am nowhere near LA

[allencollins]

I think anywhere is the place to be. It's all about the songs
and the stuff that matters. Location doesn't matter

[James Lugo]

Not that you can't get things going anywhere but I think location can really work for some people. I know for me it matters. Growing up and playing music in South Florida it was very depressing at times. Felt hopelss because I never saw much success around me but in LA I am surrounding by massive success and an endless chain of musicians and producers with excitement and energy (even in these "bad times' many of us are still doing well).

[allencollins]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Not that you can't get things going anywhere but I think location can really work for some people. I know for me it matters. Growing up and playing music in South Florida it was very depressing at times. Felt hopelss because I never saw much success around me but in LA I am surrounding by massive success and an endless chain of musicians and producers with excitement and energy (even in these "bad times' many of us are still doing well).

Yeah but look at all the great... I mean 'successful' bands from Florida? Skynyrd, Allmans, Creed, Limp Bizkit, 38 Special, Hatchet. Some of my favorite bands. All a little dated but some of them are still great The real Allen Collins was from JAX. My Hero. I realize FLA ia a huge state but it produced and is producing some great bands.

Criteria Studios is in FLA. Look at the scene there? Death Metal started in Tampa Death, Obituary, Cannibal Corpse , Deicide.......... Morbid Angel!!!

Florida has produced some great bands.

I look at my area. Boston is not really known as a great music city but look at all the great bands: Aerosmith, Godsmack, Boston, J Geils, The Cars some really great bands.

In fact alternative music basically started here. Pixies, Mission of Burma , SSD Control, The FU's
Look at the Metal Core Scene here and in Western MA & Conn. Some huge influential bands like Killswitch, Overcast, Shadows Fall, Hatebreed. Western , MA is destitute beside Worchester it's a hick area yet it produced some great bands. When I think of Boston I think of a filthy boring shithole of a city. But it has spawned some great acts. Sure there are loads of crappy bands here now but I have faith it will comeback.
Once metal/Hardrock make a comeback.

Look at Seattle. If you told me in 1990 Seattle was 'Happening' I would have laughed. But they had like 10 great bands come all in the matter of a couple years. Not bad huh? AIC, Sound Garden even my favorite bands PJ and Nirvana. Heart? Jimi Hendrix.............

I love LA and obviously tons of huge bands were formed there but who was that last big band to make it from there? Guns n Roses? and the Guns n Roses tribute band Buck Cherry? Poison? Motley? Does the Eagles reunion count? though none of them are from L.A.......... Dre, Snoop dog? Black Flag? That was 30 years ago
I admit I am out of touch so I'm sure there are a few newer LA bands but there are not many. In fact look at Metallica, they moved out of LA before they made it. How cool is that? They moved to San Fran.
My Favorite LA bands are Slayer and the Doors.

I think it's spread out now. It's cool to make it in your hometown. Anyone can move to Nashville get
a stupid hat some 80's style cowboy boots and yodel like Resacall Flatts buy some catalog songs and make a record. I'd rather make it from somewhere where the odds are stacked against me. It makes you more hungry that way.

My point is if you're good you will make it anywhere.

[mbradzick]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Not that you can't get things going anywhere but I think location can really work for some people. I know for me it matters. Growing up and playing music in South Florida it was very depressing at times. Felt hopelss because I never saw much success around me but in LA I am surrounding by massive success and an endless chain of musicians and producers with excitement and energy (even in these "bad times' many of us are still doing well).

Good to know. Not that I don't like it here...I love it...I was just wondering if LA was "played out", or if there was another state/city that was popping like Seattle in the 90s.

We have great bands, musicians and engineers on every corner, but with all this flood of talent does it make for better business or just more competition?

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by allencollins

I love LA and obviously tons of huge bands were formed there but who was that last big band to make it from there?

What/who are the latest big rock'ish bands period?

I admit I am out of touch so I'm sure there are a few newer LA bands but there are not many. In fact look at Metallica, they moved out of LA before they made it. How cool is that? They moved to San Fran.

That's 'cos they were from the Bay area originally. They moved to LA in the early days to 'make it'.

My point is if you're good you will make it anywhere.

Well, I guess that depends on what the new definition of 'making it' is. American Idol seems to be the new definition of making it.

I know cats that recently moved here from SF and Austin because the music scene sucks there (according to them). They were quite surprised when I told them about free mondays in Silverlake (all the live music clubs are free)....said there is nothing like that in SF or Austin....and the music was sucky anyway. This is for Indie rock'ish type stuff.

[picksail]

I agree with allencollins from a musician's perspective. It's good and bad anywhere.
It's all a gamble.

I agree with James Lugo with regard to being an industry professional. There is nowhere like LA to be working. Gotta be close to the source.
You wanna be a dairy farmer then move to Wisconsin.

[gsilbers]

it always depends. there is more chance to making it. but doesnt mean that it will happen. if you have some sort of conection to someone then cool but looking at craiglist is hopeless. but here i have tons of freinds in bands. i admit is not my style and i wrote a post last year when i went to namm 07 and i basically thought i was in a guns and roses concert in 1989, thus, it felt that LA was still in the 80's. mostly it is but there is everything. i've found friends/ poeple and bands ithat are into electronica and rap as well as salsa and everything in between.

i think La has the best musicians worldwide. yes, there can be some yo yo ma in wherever city he lives.. but in La in average its the place with the best of the best . mainly due to session players and film music orchestras which are the ones that pay big bucks.
as for originality... well, let me ask you this... if you are producing a Film and everyone involve asks you whats this film about? what are you going to say? that its something new and proceed with a long explanation or you say, well.. its like tomb raider mixed with star wars using CGI of a garfiled like creature.
i point is that not many new things will come out.. more commercial yes..

so i got lucky and got to engineer a grammy nominated band with a producer which is my hero from childhood who produced tons of albums of bands i loved and still do.
but freelancing is tough, so i went into post production which is a steady pycheck and still produce on the side. mix sometimes etc etc.
and all my friends are related to the music industry or are in bands, which i guess is part of the industry. so with that in mind i can say that there is waaay to much of that; small bands and artists trying to make it in LA thus, it gets easily diluted with many many bars you can go to see average bands. and every so often there are the big concerts.
the downside of that that there is too much offer thus, the price will go down and now everyone wants everything related to music for free.

and damn mand radio station here suck.. krock and rock stations are basically playing "classic rock" by now.. everyhting they played in the 90's.
the spanish stations play mostly banda music which sounds like drunk circus music and hiphop... well.. cant coment on that one. not my style.
cant belive that public radio is way much better than the rest

[allencollins]

I think if a particular city is hot you may have a better chance since label A&R are like vultures on a proven scene. ( and you thought these guys actually knew what was good) They just play follow the leader. A&R is a corporate buzzword for sheep.

I think if 1 or 2 big bands come out of a certain city you can bet the labels will follow and pick up some other bands. Usually bands comprised of x-members of the successful bands. Nothing wrong with that. If the next big music city is in Idaho or Montana I may even go.

Talent is Talent no matter where you go. Lets start a debate. For music past and present who is better
U.S. or U.K.?

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by allencollins

I think if a particular city is hot you may have a better chance since label A&R are like vultures on a proven scene. ( and you thought these guys actually knew what was good) They just play follow the leader. A&R is a corporate buzzword for sheep.

I think if 1 or 2 big bands come out of a certain city you can bet the labels will follow and pick up some other bands. Usually bands comprised of x-members of the successful bands. Nothing wrong with that. If the next big music city is in Idaho or Montana I may even go.

Talent is Talent no matter where you go. Lets start a debate. For music past and present who is better
U.S. or U.K.?

I think A&R as we used to know it is dead. Especially with Rock.

Now it seems to come down to what TV exposure you have (reality, MTV, etc.), what gimmick and/or what management you land (that has the hookups). If you are amazing and have a great following/buzz, big time management, then you will might even get a gig on Jimmy Kimel or a slot in a street fair / music festival long before A&R/Labels show interest....and even if they are interested, they probably won't sign you.

Name the last breakout rock act that was signed to a label w/o ever having exposure at a festival or on TV (etc.) first?

[GlassPrisoner79]

Who was the last big band to come out of LA?

Hmm, I will give a very short list: Linkin' Park (one of the most successful bands of all time), Maroon 5, 311, Incubus, Hoobastank, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Beck, Tool, System of a Down, Black Eyed Peas, Mars Volta, and Weezer..most of these bands are huge epic American rock bands that have made a dent in the music industry. This is only a partial list as well.

LA is a lot of hype, but it's a matched hype. Unfortunately, most bands that do make it out in LA are bands that grew up together..not usually the transplants that come out and are wannabees.

[Kyle S]

Originally Posted by GlassPrisoner79

Who was the last big band to come out of LA?

Hmm, I will give a very short list: Linkin' Park (one of the most successful bands of all time), Maroon 5, 311, Incubus, Hoobastank, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Beck, Tool, System of a Down, Black Eyed Peas, Mars Volta, and Weezer..most of these bands are huge epic American rock bands that have made a dent in the music industry. This is only a partial list as well.

LA is a lot of hype, but it's a matched hype. Unfortunately, most bands that do make it out in LA are bands that grew up together..not usually the transplants that come out and are wannabees.

even still, most of those bands are 15+- years old.

[u b k]

without exception, everyone i know who's working out there says they're doing as well, or better, than ever.

this is *not* what i'm hearing around nyc, it's a lot more feast/famine out here and some folks are starting to get uneasy...


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[Jay-]

Does this go the same for post audio and video/film production?

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by Jay-

Does this go the same for post audio and video/film production?

If that is your deal....LA has got to be the best city in the world for that....

[Fleaman]

Originally Posted by GlassPrisoner79

Who was the last big band to come out of LA?

Hmm, I will give a very short list: Linkin' Park (one of the most successful bands of all time), Maroon 5, 311, Incubus, Hoobastank, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Beck, Tool, System of a Down, Black Eyed Peas, Mars Volta, and Weezer..most of these bands are huge epic American rock bands that have made a dent in the music industry. This is only a partial list as well.

Yeah, System of a Down is probably the last one on your list and they broke a good 10 years ago!

I can only think of Silverlake's own Silversun Pickups. They released 2 albums 2-3 years ago and had a song hit #7 on billboards Alt rock charts, played on all the late night shows (letterman, leno, Kimel, etc.), played Coachella, Toured with Wolfmother, Foo's, etc, have songs in Chevy commercials, etc. .....yet after all that, they only sold something like 100,000 albums, 'cos nobody buys CD's anymore.

Cold war kids is from Orange county (30 mins south of LA) but they moved to LA almost immediately.

Again, these are hardly Big acts, but it's hard thinking of any new big rock act these days...

[mbradzick]

It's good to hear that people are still doing well out here. However, when I walk into Guitar Center on a Saturday afternoon I can't help but notice 5 kids playing Death Metal riffs really badly, or a 42 year old playing a couple of Blues licks really badly. And then the Pro Audio department seems all but vacant. Maybe it's cause everyone mail orders nowadays.

Anyway, the film/TV/multimedia business definitely seems to help out a lot which I think is what really keeps this city afloat. They haven't all moved to Canada yet! I think the new A&R people are music supervisors and film/music middlemen.

[Fleaman]

Well, GC is hardly the barometer for the LA music scene! Especially pro audio! I would even go as far to say the Sunset strip clubs are not a good barometer either.

Everybody has their nitch. I grew up in Silverlake and I happen to be in the indie rock scene which Silverlake is ground central for, so I call myself lucky.

If you're not from LA, it can be quite daunting....especially since people move here to 'make-it' and want to make it quickly (within a few years), when in fact most of the time it's a long depressing but sometimes (rarely) rewarding experience.

I didn't move here to 'make-it', I'm from here....so in a sense this is my home first, and that gives me an advantage in many ways, one of which is longevity and low expectations

[Jim Williams]

Much depends on the genre. LA is HOT HOT HOT if you are doing Mexican Banda or other latino music. The 3 largest radio stations in LA are Spanish. This market spreads all the way down to Tierra Del Fuego, a market 400 million strong. Many of the larger acts from down south come to LA to record, including Mexican and Brazillian acts.

Some call it the "revenge of the accordian".

Jim Williams
Audio Upgrades

[Fleaman]

Oh boy, it's Jim with the LA-Mexican-thing again.....

[Bob Olhsson]

More that ever LA is the center of motion picture and television post production and music. This will always spill over into the music business.

As for being a good place to be for music, it depends on what you want to do with music. I'm not sure any recording center is a good place to be an up and coming artist. The way you get financing is by demonstrating that you can generate a fanbase and own a town. Most recording centers have people knocking each other over trying to make a name for themselves and plenty of clubowners exploiting their desire by charging them to perform. One can probably do a lot better in midwestern college towns.

[mbradzick]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

One can probably do a lot better in midwestern college towns.

Interesting.

[plexisys]

Though I was very fortunate in my time in LA, and have done very well here in Atlanta, if I had it to do over I would have probably gone to a different market.

My perspective now is I would have rather become a big fish in a smaller pond. LA/NY even if you are doing OK the cost of living and the stress of living there really isn't worth it. I'd rather be in a place that has a better quality of life. Maybe I'd make less money or have fewer platinum albums but I'd much rather have the better quality of life.

If you are really good the work will seek you no matter where you are at. I don't believe anywhere can claim to be the capital of the music world anymore. The internet has made the music world flat. The cream will rise to the top no matter where it comes from.

Just my 2 cents.

[themaidsroom]

i agree with werner herzog when he says "los angeles is the only bohemian
city left in america"
nyc is pure corporate waystation
the iq of this city has dropped enormously
in the last ten years.
there is no visible kinetic energy in nyc
just suits........
in la, there are still some real freaks - freaks are a good indication
that there is a creative spark in a geographical area
there are still cheap rooms, and sunlight
and cheap food - these things are essential if you are surviving
on almost no money yet are summoning the spirit to truly be and create.



be well



- jack

[plexisys]

there are still cheap rooms, and sunlight
and cheap food

Hasn't been cheap for 20 years. Except for NY/SF/CHI you can live and eat cheaper almost anywhere in the US.

[themaidsroom]

it's huge and
cheap compared to nyc
or the uk where i spend the rest
of my time
there are little spots
here and there.....
millies
taco stands
dudes on the street
selling mango.
i don't really know america
at all.



be well


- jack

[HABBER]

Originally Posted by GlassPrisoner79

Who was the last big band to come out of LA?

Hmm, I will give a very short list: Linkin' Park (one of the most successful bands of all time), Maroon 5, 311, Incubus, Hoobastank, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Audioslave, Rage Against the Machine, Beck, Tool, System of a Down, Black Eyed Peas, Mars Volta, and Weezer..most of these bands are huge epic American rock bands that have made a dent in the music industry. This is only a partial list as well.

LA is a lot of hype, but it's a matched hype. Unfortunately, most bands that do make it out in LA are bands that grew up together..not usually the transplants that come out and are wannabees.

Mars Volta was built in El Paso, Texas