Go on the internet, there are “how to” articles, videos, e-books, interviews and information that is free for the asking. You can find a “suit,” somebody who loves the business
side of the music industry as much as you love the creative side, to handle the business.
I don’t mean a fast talking wannabe who knows nothing about music or running a
company, but a college student majoring in marketing or business who aspires to own
a music company some day and cannot stop thinking about a better way to do things.
This is how new eras are born, how new companies grow; from ideas hatched in a
smelly dorm rooms to plans to increase market share that are hatched in boardrooms.
It’s grassroots. It’s basic and it’s hard as hell but what are the alternatives. YOU DON”T
NEED A RECORD DEAL. YOU NEED A CAREER.
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It’s too expensive. I can’t concentrate on creating. All I get is rejected…. Whining and
complaining is not very attractive and you are dead wrong, it is totally doable. Recording, worldwide distribution, video shoots and grassroots marketing efforts are affordable
thanks to the very technology that some say has massacred the economic future of
the entire industry. You can do it all for literally what it would cost to buy a tricked out
Hyundai or you can tighten your belt some more and do it for less.
If you self-release and promote you career and music are you acting like a record
company? Yes, but the motivation and goals are quite different, especially if you are
handling your music and career exclusively. Is it a huge commitment? Of course, but
there are tons of perks; maintaining your own level of integrity, earning while you are
learning, understanding the business side of the process, keeping a bigger piece of the
profit pie and you call all the shots. Control is a beautiful thing. Anyone who is serious
about a career is making a huge committing to specific plan of action but don’t think
that a solo flight is the only way for you to go. There is a new type of label model that
is bubbling to the surface; small, music and artist oriented and passionate about music.
The deals are fair and the structure is just enough to make your life just a little bit easier.
These guys take care of a lot of the administrative details; licensing, publicity, contracts
and the likes but they don’t interfere with the artist or the creative process. They share
the same dream. If you hit, they hit, and can play with the big guys. It is a mutually beneficial relationship and neither party is exploiting the other. They like to keep their rosters
small and get their hands dirty but they still have a decent database and can help with
a lot of the networking nightmares an artist going it alone has to deal with. Micro labels
are searchable on the internet and they are easy to get on the phone to schedule a
meeting via SKYPE or in person. If you have music that you feel people want to buy they
will listen and they will deal. But let’s get back to you handling the heavy listing on your
own. Here are a few things to take into consideration before you get the show on the
road. Be honest when answering these questions. They are not rhetorical. They require
thought and serious consideration because your happiness hangs on the commitment
you make to this journey.