I've met Jeff Fenster a few times.
He's an old school A&R man who has had some great success and there's a lot to learn here - at 17 minutes he talks about what it takes to get signed, for example.
Well worth watching the whole thing - I'm sure he wouldn't mind me saying that I was amazed to watch the whole 45 minutes and he managed not to swear at all - something he isn't capable of usually in a ten minute meeting!
Simple post - these TruSound videos are awesome.
And, scary as it is to the true DIY musician, over 70% of artists STILL want to get signed - these very succesful artists and execs talk about how that happens!
I've been posting a lot of these videos from TruSound because they are compiled from interviews with people who've made it in the music biz.
That doesn't mean that what they say is gospel but it does mean you should listen to what they say and give it a chance before deciding whether to act on their advice or discard it.
This one's great - all about getting noticed. A lot of it is old school and not about online profile, but that aside, what they do talk about is really good.
The one thing many of them ARE talking about is how they created their own scene, starting local and building their visibility in that little niche. This creates the start of a following and fanbase which itslf can become the foundation to build from.
Listen to the guy from Godsmack at 4.30 saying that he and his band focused on a 60 mile area around their home town and they would be at every show (local band or national band passing through) that fit their genre and they'd network and flyer like crazy. Old school networking and promotion that works.
Bottom line - get your music straight, then work your ass off, play shows, flyer, network and build a buzz locally. That buzz will be noticed. Go from there!
This is, I think, his best set of rules so far - although I don't agree with them absolutely!
For example, he reckons that you shouldn't bother with Twitter and Facebook until you have traction - I disagree, they can create traction and your most evangelistic fans will want to be there to help you from the start.
Still, it is a great set of rules - I love his emphasis on development and practice before promotion and marketing, which is what we aim to preach as well - and every musician should take them in.
1. It doesn’t matter what kind of music you make.
You build your own audience. There’s an established niche for every genre. From folk to metal. Don’t worry about playing to everybody, just play to somebody.The last thirty years, the MTV era, has been about giving people what they want, which is just like what they’re already consuming. Major labels and major media, most especially radio, had control of a narrow sieve and if you didn’t fit, you couldn’t play. That is not true today. Those powers mean ever less. You can reach your audience easily online. You’ve just got to start.
2. You’ve got to be good.
This is about practice. We’re in a music era, not a marketing era. Ignore those who tweet and Facebook their goings-on instead of focusing on the music. It’d be like Steve Jobs selling Dell. It wouldn’t blow up overnight. Even better, Ferrari selling Smart cars. A great marketer is nothing without a great product, focus on the product.
Play for three or four hours a day. Take lessons. Play in your garage before you play in public.
Image by Identity Photogr@phy
This is a mindest thing!
You have to accept that a gig that seems pointless - nobody turns up, no merch sold, it actually costs you money....that sort of thing - might turn up a great opportuntity.
Of course, some shit gigs will be just that - shit.
But you have to play every one as though it counts. Don't put on a sub-satndard show if it's just the barman and you. You don't know - that barman may have a brother who is head of A&R at EMI.
I have just posted on the main site about a DIY musician who has used all the things we talk about here to set herself up for a successful career.
Just as I posted it, I read in a newspaper this quote from Aloe Blacc (currently having a hit everywhere with a record that his small but cool and well respected indie label posted to YouTube a year ago!) that fits perfectly with my post:
"I never wanted to set foot into a major label until I was completely prepared for the industry".
Wise words.
Sort your act and music out first. Build a fanbase, know what you are about and then, maybe, look for a deal. Although, if you did the first bit right, they'll come looking for you anyway!
Image by Steve Snodgrass
After yesterday's post that wandered around the subject of a major record deal, these two links seemed the natural follow up.
This post from Music on the Make looks at what artists get wrong in their quest to get signed.
Despite all the talk of how getting signed is not going to do you many favors, most artists are still hoping to get signed. And why not, it can help you in many ways, if you are smart about it. However the effort they put into getting signed is often simply a waste of time. I still see this happening a lot. Here’s the typical blueprint:
If you’re lucky you’ll get a decline letter, but most of the time the result is a complete radio silence. All record companies receive dozens of unsolicited demos every day. The majors receive hundreds. Your hard work on that demo is going straight to the big brown box by the receptionist, who picks up the mail every day. (I’ve seen the box, it’s big!)
Instead, your time and money is much better spent on figuring out who you are, creating interesting stuff and making connections.
And it points to this article on Universal's blog written by two A&R men that gives great insight into what they are looking for.
I'd like you to read the comment by 'Pazuzu' on this Guardian post about why Nerina Pallot still wants a record deal with a major. It's the ninth comment down.
I would reproduce it in it's entirety but I don't have permission so you have to go over there to read it. The follow-ups in the later comments clarify his thoughts.
I'm not that interested in the article itself.
I met Nerina a few times many years ago when she played keys in a band called, if I recall, 'Thumb'. Very nice she was too and clearly talented and if she feels the need for a major deal on the basis of what she says in the article, then it's a perfectly acceptable choice.
But, it's what Pazuzu says that works for me.
When I started our main blog, I thought that to 'make it in music' was to become a lauded, respected, volume-selling mainstream success. That's where the bulk of my experience was at the time and it's what I thought all artists wanted.
As I have written more and become more involved in 'direct to fan' I realise that there are a myriad ways for musicians to 'make it' - be that playing the music you love regardless of whether you find an audience, doing it yourself but looking for a fanbase that can financially sustain your lifestyle (whether that is modest or fantastical), or indeed the pursuit of global GaGa fame, plus a whole other load of perfectly sensible models to fit individual desires and definitions of success.
I then realised that whatever it is you hope to achieve, you should always focus on your art and the skills you have so that the expression of your art can be as complete as you are then able to make it. Practice, effort, improvement and humility will all make that art better.
And, as you improve, everything that we teach and point readers to, should help in the promotion of that art in the most effective way that the music industry and the wider modern world allows. Whether you choose to promote or not is up to you.
But, if you do, the tools and our knowledge will help.
In his comment, Pazuzu says:
I can't figure out if you want to make music or make sales. In these times, people seem to confuse the two, as though commercial success is any marker of artistic worth. If people want to be artists of any kind they should be prepared to toil in obscurity. It's one of those unpleasant truths life throws at us. All of us have seen tear-inducingly talented people performing in obscurity and going nowhere commercially, while mediocrity is lavished at every turn with riches, privilege, and praise. And yet artists flock to major record labels to seek validation through commerce. No artist should ever feel entitled to make a living, much less a fortune, from their art. That is a courtier's mentality. If they do happen to "make it," good for them, but let's not confuse the two distinct and incommensurable things that are artistic worth and commercial value.
I do actually believe that the DIY musicians who use the direct to fan model can now build a career that is financially sustainable and might then go on to global success (which might or might not involve a deal with a major label). But I also believe that talent and persistent pursuit of artistic improvement is the starting point for those DIY musicians.
So, although I love his view of what it is to be an artist, I think we are in a golden age for music where the 'tear-inducingly talented' will only fail to find success (at some level) if they don't use the tools at their disposal, or if they choose not to.
Don't give up on the major label deal if it's what you desire, but don't see it as the be all and end all. Make yourself great and work to build a fanbase using what the 'DIY musician' industry that is beginning to appear wants to teach you. Where that might take you, who knows, but it's better than blindly hoping that you might be good enough for 30 seconds of fame from a copycat produced bit of generic pop bollocks.
Fact!
The major record companies, like it or not, do still have the monopoly on big league marketing and promotion - you can succeed without it, but I know from experience that many artists grab that deal with the devil when it passes by....and some even do well by it!
This post has some great advice and good basic information on what to expect.
Recording contracts are extremely complex and it’s almost impossible to explain all possible provisions a contract might contain in simple terms. If an artist finds his or her self presented with a recording contract the absolutely most important thing to do is to find an attorney with experience in the music business (not a cousin’s friend who closes real estate contracts for a living) to review the agreement and negotiate on their behalf with the record company’s legal department or outside attorney. Recording contracts are written by the record labels and their attorneys and can be structured as less than advantageous for the artist.
And I was confused!
Despite the fact that I know many artists don't yet understand the sea change that the music industry is going through, I thought that the majority knew things weren't all rosy in the record labels.
So, when I received an email from Taxi that set out why many artists felt this way, I thought I should share their reasoning as it's a dose of realism for those of us who belive that DIY is the answer!
This is some of the Taxi email:
Recently, a very credible survey of 1,800 musicians showed that surprisingly, 75 % of the bands and artists who responded would like to be signed to a Major Record Label. In an era when "Major Label" is practically a dirty word, there's a simple reason that 3 out of 4 musicians would like to be signed to Sony, Universal, Warner Bros., etc.
You already know the answer, don't you?The Internet's "playing field"--although level--has not proved to be the magic bullet most musicians thought it would be.Yes, the opportunities are abundant and equally available to every musician on the planet. But capitalizing on those opportunities takes laser-like focus, a rock solid business plan, twelve-to-eighteen hour workdays, substantial amounts of cash, professional marketing skills, and the relentless dedication it takes to launch any successful entrepreneurial business venture.A successful career in the music business is a business, after all. Oh, I know, it should be enough that you've worked hard to become a great songwriter or artist. You've done your part, haven't you?And if you hit a label's radar and got signed, they put up the money, the marketing machine, the tour support and everything else necessary to break you as an artist. And that's why 75% of you reading this would still like to be signed to a major label--mustering the money, marketing skills, and the business chops is really, really hard to do on your own, especially if you're holding down a job and paying your bills.You can read Billboard's view here.
What I'm always banging on about still remains true though - whether you want to build a career as a DIY musician or want to get signed, you still need to build the fanbase and create the buzz that takes you to the next level - whether that is the elusive deal or the forward thinking self-sufficiency!
You may well not want to be signed to a label - either you want to stay fiercely independent or a music career isn't why you're making music.
But, it's still the holy grail for many artists.
We repeatedly point out that if a sustainable career as a musician is your goal, you need to be doing the same things whether you want to be signed or want to be a diy artist - make music, promote it, build a fanbase and build a community of fans that will pay to support you. That's what labels want to see these days - that you've done something to start the ball rolling. And, if they don't sign you (or you don't want to be signed) that same foundation is what you build on to take your diy career to whatever level you want.
So, take this article from Music Globalization in that spirit.
As an entertainment attorney my job is simple – help musicians. Sometimes helping involves revealing the bitter truth. Some bands want to gauge their industry success based on label partnerships. This is unrealistic. If you’re not signed with a label it means nothing in the grand scheme of things, but unfortunately many musicians equate a lack of label backing as failure. Instead of harping on the disappointment, groups need to understand the harsh realty at hand - labels pass for a reason. It’s these reasons which bands must understand, analyze, and apply towards their career advancement. The worst thing to do, yet the most common, is to begin blaming the surrounding cast. “Had our manager only done this……. Had our booking agent only booked us larger shows, etc…” Wrong. Listen to what the label executives tell you.
A&R rightly get a lot of grief from everyone else in the music industry.
All too many simply don't have the talent to do the job and it becomes the parody that the video below pokes fun at (Don't watch if you're easily offended!).
But, there are some good A&R people - who can bring improvement, direction and clarity to an artist's work.
This article on Wired is well worth a read.
A&R scouts, the workers of the music industry entrusted with finding and developing new talent, have come in for much criticism over the past decade. Most people don't know what they do, and those that do, disagree with most of their decisions. Disgruntled, overlooked bands hate them for not signing them, and the record-buying public hate them for feeding them bland, intelligence-insulting music, or incomprehensible hipster nonsense which no-one living outside the E1 postcode will like.
But is the A&R-bashing justified, and, if so, what can be done about it?
Oh, and it really is like this:
That's if you want to - and for many, that's becoming less of a dream. We're massively pro the DIY musician and know that for many that is now the way that I want to do it.
But, if you're building a fanbase and making a noise, chances are that you'll attract attention and might decide to do the deal with the devil.
The positive spin is that building momentum on your own is the precursor to DIY success or a record deal - so you need to be doing that anyway!
Watch this music industry lawyer giving his verdict on what is required.
There's a post on our main blog that adds some background steps on how to get a record deal - you might want to read it as well as these below.
Then there's this great 2 part post from the Live Unsigned Blog.
Part 1 looks at the position you need to be in to get signed - you're best off creating a 'buzz' with DIY musician efforts (although I believe sending in a demo if you're at that stage is still a reasonable use of your time - a long shot for sure, but worth it if that deal is what you're after).
Although it is possible to do really well completely independently some people still want a record deal, some see it as a form of validation. Some artists only want to concentrate on the music and let the label handle the business (although I’d argue that its easier to concentrate on the music if you have control of your own career). Signing to a label isn’t about forgetting about the business side of things – its the start. Labels expect you to work hard promoting your product and can often fail to do the same for you. Its not ever going to be that easy.
Part 2 lists a whole load of things you need to get straight if they offer you that deal!
Make sure you get a music industry lawyer to review anything before you sign it. I know of one indie label that signs a lot of indie acts then just uploads their music to Bandcamp and takes a large percentage of the sales. The bands could do this themselves and make far more money, they gain nothing from the deal. Don’t let this happen to you. If its a bad deal just walk away.
These two posts have a lot of good advice - check them out.
It's a great idea and a site I'd definitely add to those that you should be aware of and using as a diy musician. It's brand new and needs to get some density to reach its potential, but go and take a look.
Darren who set it up has been around the music biz for a while and is looking to fix a problem of access that all musicians have.
He's also been kind enough to let us give away a free eBook that he's written that tells the story behind how 10 acts (some you know, some you don't) got their break and got noticed. It should inspire you and maybe give you some ideas!
Download - 'So how did they get signed?' here.
I love that this has happened and that it vindicates many of the strategies of online music promotion that I and my ilk have been putting forward.
Ahmir, an R&B act who have developed a massive YouTube following largely by recording vocally impressive covers of current hits, have just signed to a successful label that can take them to the mainstream industry.
I think that perhaps they didn't actually need a deal but that highlights something we don't often talk about - the easiest access to mainstream writers & producers (that an R&B act like this needs) and to radio and TV is through the major label system. Or certainly through the connections and networks that they still have the most hold over - but that will change over time.
That doesn't mean that you can't do it DIY, but there is still a place for the machine - especially in pop and R&B.
Watch their video below and go and read the pieces on MusicMarketing.com which put me on to the story.
This piece has the story about Ahmir.
But, in particular - read this piece - which looks at how the intelligent use of covers (or perhaps samples a la Black Eyed Peas?) brings your band to a whole new audience.
And, in fact, we mentioned this particular innovative model in this post here.
My Major Company is officially launching in the UK this week, although it's been open for business for a few months already.
The two links below to press reports give you the idea so I'll spare you the details ....other than to say that the label's first shot at this in their home territory of France brought about a million selling record. The method of funding from fans to this serious level means that a band has an instant following ready to buy their record plus marketing and promotion resources.
It has more depth than some fan funding methods as it comes with full label support.
Read and watch the pices here on Techcrunch and here on Sky.
And visit My Major Company's site here.
Bob Lefsetez telling us that artist development at major labels is dead - and he's pretty much right.
But this article goes further - looking at why you're making music and how you can rely on yourself if your motivation is right.
So if you’re a new act, stay indie. You’ve got to, in order to be control of your own artistic destiny. If you can’t change direction on inspiration, chances are you won’t connect for more than a moment, if that.
And indie is about forgetting everybody else and focusing on your fans. If your fans are burned out on your music, you must make more, even though others have never heard it.
These are two great posts that look at what the 360 deal is and what it means for artists. If you get signed or are looking to get signed in today's business, this is 99% likely to be the kind of deal you will get. You need to know about it!
The first one is from the great NPR blog via @BuzzSonic.
"Most deals are about 270, maximum, not 360 degrees," he says. "In theory a 360 deal encompasses all revenue that an artist brings in, and hence the name, '360 degrees.' I'm going back and forth between '360' and 'multi-rights.' Usually in my writing I call it 'multi-rights.'"
And this very considered article is from Jon Ostrow at Mic Control - altough I couldn't find it again on his blog, so this is from somwhere that it was reposted!
Simply put, a 360 deal is a business relationship between an artist and a music industry company. It doesn’t have to be between record label and artist, as seen in the 2007 360 deal signed between Madonna and promoter Live Nation (Jay-Z signed a similar deal in 2008).
This is an insightful piece on whether it's worth it in this day and age jumping through hoops and working like a dog just to get a record deal, when you can, more than likely, achieve nearly as much with a far better income in the burgeoning world of 'direct to fan'.
I'm not saying that it's right for every artist to eschew the option of getting a record deal, but the beauty of the world we now live in is that you as an artist should be doing everything to build a fanbase and speak directly to an audience - whether you want to go it alone or whether you want that beginning of popularity to propel you to a deal. The work required is basically the same.
In traditional agreements- labels recouped their investment through record sales, leaving band’s earnings to be made from touring, merchandise and sponsorship. Now, 360-degree deals are the norm. Warner won’t sign anyone now unless it’s a 360 deal- a package which is more akin to a management deal, whereby the label will take a cut from any future sponsorship, seeding, use of material, touring and merchandise. And while this may remove the need for an ‘immediate hit’, in real terms it means that bands will earn even less, and have less control over their image, presentation and rights.
Labels traditionally made money from the process in which they were involved – ie/ recording and distributing records. Is it coincidence that now that recorded music sales are significantly declining, they change their business model? What gives them the right to impede on touring, merchandise, sponsorship or the use of music in films or adverts? How does this benefit either the artist or the audience?
