From: Steve (scatanzaro4_at_cox.net)
Date: 2004-10-17 03:24:22
t;
the flip side of that is the labels have massive overhead. Owning a
manufacturing plant or a studio isn't cheap. as a matter of fact, most
labels have gotten out of the studio biz, since its unprofitable for
them; cheaper to just rent massive blocks of time than to pay these
union cats to calibrate 2" studers every night. Ditto staff engineers,
etc...
Seems like the really prestigious studios, in la at least, are mostly
privately owned,(except capitol, of course) and the labels are competing
with each other for rates and such.
As for manufacturing... yeah, they can "make" discs for cheaper than we
can, but they have to build, maintain and staff a whole plant, which
isn't cheap. The ac bill alone at the capitol tower is probably more
than most small labels spend in a year.
So, it costs labels a lot of money to stay in business. People don't
just lick stamps and make deliveries and audit books out of the kindness
of their heart. They have to be paid. And, in cali, they have to get
their union health benis, and unemployment insurance and fica, and state
and federal, and property tax, and AFM salaries, and AFTRA salaries, and
a grip of lawyers, and auditors, and accountants, and top drawer
producers, and on and on ad infinitum.
Now, is it true that lots of musicians probably wish they never signed
their label deal? Sure, especially if they used their advance money to
buy a 590sl or a land rover instead of some studio gear.
And many, many musicians are young and immature, ready to sign anything
they need to be a rock star. And, they get shafted because the label
makes the call as to what they want to push.
So yes, its always better to be independent if you can, or to sign the
shortest deal you can. BUT, my point was specifically about those who
HAVE made a name for themselves through their relationships with the
majors.
Pop stars, generally speaking, are like milk... they start to stink if
they hang around past their expiration date. But if you've built a fan
base thru your time in a major, and now you're talking about the major
as though you were a SLAVE...
Well, hell, then... why did u sign the deal in the first place? Why
didn't you just come up with $40k and do it yourself? I never knew a
prisoner who got a $50-100k advance before they locked the doors on him.
(And, did you ever see a prison with just about every musician in the
world trying to get in?)
PS GO SEE SY SMITH TONITE AT LITTLE TEMPLE
PPS NP MARK DE CLIVE LOWE, TIDE'S ARISING SAMPLER, HOT HOT HOT!!!