Dave, you are right. You predicted that there was nothing the record companies could do. I thought there was. But it is clear to me that they are either so far in the dark about what is going on or they are so arrogant that they somehow believe that this thing will just go away. It isn't going away. Not as long as there is an appetite for getting music free over the net. And movies are next.
I lean toward a P.R. campaign at the very young. . . similar to anti-smoking, aids awareness, stay-in-school, just-say-no. . . this would be a "do the right thing" sort of campaign. . .which says "take all you want, pay for what you take".
Yes, I know Phish. A friend gave me 2 of their CDs. . . .testimony to the fact that word-of-mouth advertising works. I like that THEY are in control of their following. THAT is the way I have been preaching it to bands for decades. You don't let the record company, the booking agent, the concert promoter or even the night club managers control your audience. . . because they can easily and quickly steer an audience toward something or someone else.
SIDEBAR: We saw this happen nationwide when disco displaced live music. . . .suddenly most every band was out of work, except the smart ones who had been keeping mailing lists, etc. . . what worked in the 70's still applies today.
Bottom line: When the band controls its following and is in close contact with them, then they are in control of their own destiny. They can sell records, hold concerts or whatever they wish to do. . . .without the consent of anyone. Phish is doing it right! The entire rest of the music world is wrong. [strange as that sounds to say. . .er, type] Another thing is that their music lends itself toward live performance. It hardly translates to disc in fact. A newbie may be cool to their CDs, yet become a fan AFTER going to one of their concerts. . . which again is backwards from the way the record companies want it to be. So in essence, their CDs help recreate that memorable live night. I don't think they could keep their fans from video taping concerts if they tried. Everyone wants to remember "what it was like" to be there live.
A Phish concert is a "happening." You either get it or you don't. I haven't been to one yet, but would love to go when they get around here.
I'm not staunchly on the record company's side. They are by-and-large corporate idiots. . . [with the exception of a few producers who work for them.] I am on the side of PAYING THE CREATIVE TALENT. . . and whatever goes with that. So from another point of view. . .I am on the side of any musical artist who has figured out a way of making a good deal of money despite all this Napster / free download mess. They are the true heroes, IMO. . . the ones worth emulating. And perhaps Phish and a few other self-promoters are the exceptions of note. The entertainment biz can be extremely lucrative for self-promoters.
A&M Records started out as 2 guys Herb Alpert & Jerry Moss, selling Tijuana Brass and Baja Marimba Band albums out of the trunk of their station wagon, while touring. They didn't mind playing free, because they knew they would make a mint selling records after the concert.
That was the way it was for all those Gospel Quartets touring the country by bus. They would play for free at a large church, so long as they could sell their records and tapes in the back of the church after the concert. The Oak Ridge Boys were doing it back when I knew them as the Keystone Quartet from Buffalo, NY. . . [come to think of it, I still have a bunch of Keystone records. . . with Richard Sturban and Joe Bonsall on the cover. . . autographed of course, so I guess they would be worth something.] Don't get me wrong. . . the Keystones literally starved out on the road. [I know 'cuz we often fed them]. . . It was not a good living at all until they turned secular and began singing country music. So like any business, it starts with a demand. And the demand for gospel music back then was spread out over many thousands of local acts. . . . much the same as today's music is now spread out over many thousands of competing internet acts. . . .as well as the thousands of signed recording artists.
So once again I salute anyone who has found a way to prosper. . . without going the Britany Spears route. . . or ripping clothes off. The sad part in all this is that the business of music has all but killed the art in music. And the saddest part is that there are now generations of Americans who have yet to figure that out.
Rande Is |
