Wednesday, September 23, 2009
{The Blue Banner}
The modern music era
thrives on independence
The “Do-It-Yourself’ movement is as
relevant now as it was in the 1980s, when
bands learned they could earn their own
money without the aid of major record la
bels, publicity people or booking agents.
Artistic control, personal integrity and
financial risk are the three main reasons
bands should remain independent in the
music industry.
Never mind the few bands that go ma
jor and succeed artistically and financially,
because those bands are few and far be
tween and probably did everything them
selves first.
Except now, instead of playing to hun
dreds of extremely appreciative fans, those
bands are playing to thousands, maybe
Millions of people, whose money mostly
goes straight to big record companies.
Their albums are almost guaranteed to
suck after a few years of playing ball, hav
ing been tainted by high-dollar production
®nd input from “producers” who know
nothing about the band’s personal voice.
^ySpace, MP3 files and the growing
number of record labels have not changed
me fundamentals of the music industry. In
2005, Nielsen SoundScan reported that the
big four” record companies (Universal
Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment,
Warner Music Group and EMI Group) ac
counted for 81.9 percent of the U.S. music
murket. Independent labels accounted for
me remaining 18.1 percent.
The one significant change in the music
usiness model, according to MOJO mag
azine in “The MOJO Collection,” is: “The
digital download revolution has opened up
urther avenues that allow for the greater
discovery of music.”
.. let the music business remains set up
ike most other U.S. marketplaces because
a few people control the overall wealth,
oday, there are simply more outlets that
uel the potential of the D.I.Y. ethos.
According to Michael Azerrad in his
Our Band Could Be Your Life, there
'''ere six corporate labels that generated the
j^ast majority of music sales when D.I.Y.
^cgan in the early 1980s: Capitol, CBS,
Polygram, RCA and WEA.
While media and business tactics are al
ways changing, major labels still account
*ar most of the data.
Producer Steve Albini outlined exactly
°w major-label contracts take advan-
age of bands in his essay, “The Problem
'ynh Music,” which includes statistics that
ahow how these contracts are risky and not
profitable.
The system exists to support itself. It
oes not exist to support bands. The num-
. One mistake that bands make is think
ing they can outsmart a self-sufficient sys-
^m,” Albini said in an interview for D.I.Y.
or Die,
By Sam Hunt
Staff Writer
SCHUNT@UNCA.EDU
Publicity people, producers and label
owners do not “earn” any money from
bands. They tax bands for doing mindless
work, while the musicians end up earning
far less.
Bands ought to do as much of these tasks
as possible by themselves. It is not only
stupid to rely on someone else’s self-inter
est, but once a band is far enough into the
game, they will compromise their artistic
control whether they realize it or not.
Major labels hire “artist & repertoire”
representatives to serve as spokespeople
for the label. They are the link between
the corporate office and the band, tracking
down artists with high sales potential and
explaining contracts.
They are not friends of bands, even
though record labels select them based on
legitimate underground music credentials
and their “hipness,” which automatically
appeals to naive young talent.
Maybe the band gets a big break and a
major label A&R rep brings them a fancy
contract. The contract offers a more com
fortable touring lifestyle and outlines a
bunch of jargon that the average musician
accepts because the A&R person seems
like he’s on the band’s side.
According to Albini’s estimations, the
best a band will get out of this deal is a
$14,000 debt and some more listeners, if
they are lucky. Albini’s figures are a little
outdated, but the fundamental nature of the
music business will never deviate much.
There will always be a manager’s cut,
legal fees, a recording budget, a produc
er’s advance, a studio fee, equipment fees,
transportation, lodging, catering, master
ing, a video budget, partying, fuel and
dozens of other expenses that inevitably
outweigh a band’s percentage of record
royalties, tour incomes and advances.
Kerry L. Smith wrote in the preface of
The Encyclopedia of Indie Rock, “The
D.I.Y. movement is an ideal that indie rock
and punk bands have upheld in order to
retain more control over their lives, their
careers and their music.”
Like all capitalist citizens, artists should
maximize their profits and personal happi
ness. The only way musicians can do that
without supporting a sea of trivial muck is
to stay independent and give a 100-percent
effort on their own terms.
Grossology
Page 13
Continued from Page 9
Kiser said the economy changes the
way some hospitals run, but Mission is
continuing its dedication to community
outreach.
“Just speaking for Mission Hospital, 1
can tell you that we have not scaled back
our attempts to help the community,” she
said. “What we’re seeing is more people
with need.”
Advanced Animations LLC, a compa
ny with offices out of both Vermont and
Michigan, approached Branzei a few
years after her first books came out.
“(Branzei) was involved from the very
beginning. What we were looking at was
bringing the book to life,” Shoener said.
“We took the book and brought it to life,
using her book, her characters.”
Shoener said that the tours include
four human Grossology exhibits and
two animal Grossology exhibits in North
America, with one general exhibit trav
eling internationally.
Economic problems aren’t just af
fecting the pricing on exhibits, Shoener
said.
“Well, just in the museum industry in
general, there isn’t the funding that was
there a year ago,” she said, “So for them
to rent an exhibit, it’s more difficult.”
Branzei’s big concern isn’t the mon
ey.
“Our other goal besides creating a pos
itive experience is to show people that
science is everywhere,” she said.
Branzei said that students are far more
receptive to exhibits that they can feel
with their hands and sometimes, yes,,
smell.
“The number one question children
had asked was, ‘What is a fart’?” Bran
zei said.
There were big concerns about ad
dressing the topic, but Branzei wanted
to talk about it, so it went in the book,
she said.
“It’s something my publisher worried
about, but I didn’t worry about it. I do
recall having a major conversation with
him when I wanted to have a section on
farts. He wanted to cut it.”
Strangely enough, that might be part
of why Branzei has had such success.
“What I’ve learned through the years
is that they end up walking away with
tons of information. It’s almost mind-
blowing.”
Branzei said that’s what she wants
with her exhibit. It’s why she wrote the
books.
“I think part of it is because they’re
having such a good time,” she said.
I 11^ ou
shachu
jupanese taiko drurnminy
8 pm ■ Wednesday, Sept. 30
Lipinsky Auditorium
*6 Student
^ UNC Asheville and all area studenls tSl
J *12* Faculty/Staff o
^ UNC Asheville lacully/slall/aluinni/NCCCR/WGU
• •
(/) CPurchasQ one in advance, get one free with
current OneCard or Ca^Card. Offer good only with
^ advance purchase.)
*18 General
Public
Nagata Shachu has become
renowned for rejuvenating
and redefining the
ancient art of Japanese
taiko drumming—an
unforgettable musical
expression that is sure to
entertain.
UM ,'l I' .11 I I’l I ) III ' ■ I'l i| I'
ASI II VII j I
Fur riiorfj information and oxtendod activitior. vioit iww/w.ijnca odu/culiural.'irt