515 Crew

[Varg]

On that subject, you seem to keep dodging this question, What label are you working for and what is your job title?

Didn't I tell you?

[DaVo]

You really don't know what labels do.
Labels are not becoming less and less important.
They will not 'eventually die out altogether'.
Labels do not just 'front' the money to have CDs pressed- but also to have them recorded.
Labels do not set up tours. (Ever heard of touring agencies?)
Digital music doesn't harm the music industry, 'illegal' downloading does. When thinking in terms of popular music, people stopped buying music because they were sick of buying albums based off of a hit single only to find that the rest of the album was littered with nothing but SHIT. iTunes to the rescue. Great for the consumer- A wake-up call to the Major labels and a serious kick in the ass to the quality of music being produced/written.
I disagree with the way many indie labels are being run- due to the fact that they refuse to implement 360 deals. I hear them bitch about not making any money and while they are aware of 360 deals, they have NO intentions (at this point) of ever doing it. Kudos to them for not wanting to take any more from the bands than they already are, I think that's admirable, but at the same time you are operating a business without a sense of business.
I think it's a pretty fair argument- without the label, nobody would know who these bands are, they wouldn't be touring (no tour support or tour agency), and they wouldn't be making any money PERIOD. For the label to NOT take a % of their overall sales is nothing short of RETARDED. They spend the money and time promoting the bands- through videos and various ads, they're taking a huge financial risk which usually takes years to develop and ever make any profit off of, and they're only getting chump change off album sales? It's absolutely retarded. It's not like a 360 deal is going to be a deal breaker for any newly signed band- they would still be f u c k i n g THRILLED.

Just some facts that you have completely wrong. Depending on the label they normally operate as a finical backer and development company. They advance capitol to artist to cover the expenses of recording and promotion of the record, production and distribution of recorded martial and other media. These advances are repaid by the artist income percentages of units sold. The contract between artist and label can also include a ownership and profits from publishing rights and merchandise sales. Often the agreement includes a renewal option on future releases by the artist.

I'm not sure what a tour agent is but a booking agent in fact books the tour. Also an artist depending on the level they are at will also have a promotion company that in facts handles their promotional appearances, a manager that oversees everything, merch company that produces and sells their merch in much the same way a label sells music and legal representation. In some cases they may have a different management company, promotion company, and booking agency for the US, Europe and Asia. Smaller indy labels may offer some in house promotion services but this is rare and tends to ineffective with a focus more on pushing the label then an artist.

The number one problem that the record industry has had with the media file format is the ala carte selling of one song. Sells have reflected that consumers tend to only buy songs that are radio hits or have been heavily marketed. This creates a problem cause unless they are willing to invest in marketing each track and pushing radio they are losing out on sales. It is a shift in the market where the concept of albums as one package is losing ground. The logical direction is returning to the selling of singles. The idea of instead of releasing 13 or so songs at one time, releasing 2 or 3 songs at a time over a 6 month period. The other option is not allowing iTunes and other media file seller to sell only one track. Basically saying flat out you either sell only the album or we are pulling our whole catalog. The problem is that the labels at this point are not in a situation where they can afford to do this. Illegal downloads is the whole home taping scape goat. It is not effecting sells at the level they portray it to be.

The idea that there will be a day when labels won't exist is not based in reality. Regardless of how easy it gets to produce music and distribute through the internet, to get the national or world exposure to make it you are going to need money for promotion and touring. Putting an ad on facebook, a page on MySpace and a video on youtube will never be as effective as getting on TV, having print ads and being on real national tour. No how labels are structured and how they do business is going to change along with how they sell their artist. There has been a couple of companies, one by the guys from Radiohead that have come up with this concept of having bands fronting money to bands to start their own company, hiring their own people and running how they wish. The biggest problem with this and why it will more than likely not work is who is going to take the risk to put up capitol for it. Would you invest in a band that is unproven and has no experience? And is there really that much difference other than how the profits are shared?

Sadly the most endangered animal that can't seem to adapt is the record store. Unless someone can come up with a business plan that will draw people away from their computer and into a retail outlet, they are going to die off completely and become a booth at a antique mall or flea market. Sure there will always be a collector market but never will they again be the source or a factor in the selling of music. I will miss them but I have been in one for over a year.

[DaVo]

On that subject, you seem to keep dodging this question, What label are you working for and what is your job title?

Didn't I tell you?

No you didn't and I'm beginning to think that you work at one of those booths on Venice Beech that sells bongs and a few records cause it's really close to Muscle Beech and you like to jam out with the drum circles.

[Varg]

On that subject, you seem to keep dodging this question, What label are you working for and what is your job title?

Didn't I tell you?

No you didn't

Oh, well then it must not be any of your fucking business.

I'm going to bed, in the meantime, I would suggest you go back and actually read some of these posts instead of repeating what has already been said. Even though they were much CLEANER and CONCISE postings, and not long drawn out masturbatory bullshit ramblings- I think they still got the job done.

And since I know you didn't read the above, let me just say that once again:

*I'm going to bed, in the meantime, I would suggest you go back and actually read some of these posts instead of repeating what has already been said. Even though they were much CLEANER and CONCISE postings, and not long drawn out masturbatory bullshit ramblings- I think they still got the job done.


*text adjusted so you can better see through your fucking retarded glasses.

[Nick]

Davo, FTmothafuckinW.

Also, Varg still = dongbag.

[Hank Fist]

On that subject, you seem to keep dodging this question, What label are you working for and what is your job title?

Didn't I tell you?

No you didn't and I'm beginning to think that you work at one of those booths on Venice Beech that sells bongs and a few records cause it's really close to Muscle Beech and you like to jam out with the drum circles.

OLD MAN BURN!

[DaVo]

Oh, well then it must not be any of your fucking business.

I'm going to bed, in the meantime, I would suggest you go back and actually read some of these posts instead of repeating what has already been said. Even though they were much CLEANER and CONCISE postings, and not long drawn out masturbatory bullshit ramblings- I think they still got the job done.

And since I know you didn't read the above, let me just say that once again:

*I'm going to bed, in the meantime, I would suggest you go back and actually read some of these posts instead of repeating what has already been said. Even though they were much CLEANER and CONCISE postings, and not long drawn out masturbatory bullshit ramblings- I think they still got the job done.


*text adjusted so you can better see through your fucking retarded glasses.

Well, well little man when you bring up something cause it's supposed to make you an expert then it is no longer personal and this is not the first time you have brought it up. You are trying to base you argument off the fact that you work for a label. OK fine give us the facts, otherwise I'm going to call it as I see, pure Bullshit.

On a side note, just so you know, just cause you work at Starbucks in Victorville and Starbucks has a record label doesn't mean you work for a record label. Kind of like using bold type and larger case doesn't make you right.