Sunday, April 10, 2005

Everybody's always talking about how they hate the music business, how major labels suck and the current business model is way outdated. And they're right. But all these people end up hating business in general, and they love to profess how they're 'not in it for the money' or they're 'true artists'. But I'm willing to bet they'd like to work on their art full time, and not have to hold down a day job to support a marginal lifestyle. This requires money, and money requires business knowledge.
It's true that the current music business model (that the major labels adhere to) is way outdated and that it's in the beginning stages of its death throes even as I write this. That's why I'm sick and tired of musicians ripping on other musicians who actively try to market themselves. Come on, if you do nothing but play shows you definitely have a chance of being successful… but you'll have to end up on an indie, and then a major label to do so (unless you perpetually tour to make money - good luck with that). And guess what - you just bought into the current business model if you take that track cause you're letting the labels do all the business work for you. Nice one jackass.
I'm calling out all indie musicians to embrace business and come up with alternative means of making money and marketing yourselves. I know too many people who slog through five days of corporate crap week in and week out while waiting for the music business to come find them. It just ain't gonna happen that way.

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