So, how is the music going, Josh?
As I am on the slowest comeback trail of all time its only right people should ask how my music is going….
I am an independent solo artist. It used to be I was looking for a deal like everyone else, waiting for my album to be finished to shop to the big labels. I’m not really even looking for a major label deal these days. And as someone governed by no corporate bosses I have a luxury major label artists can’t afford – to put the truth out there. When you have shareholders to impress you have to put the best spin on everything so people dont abandon ship. But you dear reader have stuck through with me through lean times indeed and I feel comfortable with you…
One great thing is that year by year, more people become fans and more people visit this website – in this year month after month the visitors have been doubling from the past month. My goals have changed as well – it used to be to make a whole bunch of money signing a record deal, now it is to build demand for my music up gradually so eventually I can make a fulltime living from it again, this time on my own terms as my own boss. Thats really thrilling for me, but its down to you keeping me in business…
Here are some questions I answered for a friend of a fan’s dissertation, and they answer the question of how the music is going and how things are changing for me… (ctd)
What about major record deals – have you been offered anything?
I have been offered several independent deals, from small independents to large independents with major distribution. I have also had talks with several major labels and had management talk at executive level with the largest of the major labels but I fired my management and didn’t follow up with them. One major label verbally offered me a deal but I did not show any interest and the interest dissipated.
Why did you make the choice not to sign with a label?
I didn’t feel I was ready at the time, didnt have a band together or enough material written, now I am glad because label deals are getting worse and worse and also they offer less and less of what they used to be able to offer. Also I value my own time and decisions rather than being an automaton to produce and tour for a big corporation.
In hindsight did you make the right choice in not signing with a record company?
Not financially and not in terms of ego driven wishes to be a superstar. Neither am I at the place I wish to be yet in terms of fans or finances to be able to make a living doing this and support a band. But if I was signed to a record company I wouldnt have any flexibility – I dont need megabucks to be able to support my family and I am hoping that as long as I continue to make music that connects with people, more and more people will discover it and be willing to tell others about it so I can make a career out of it.
Do you think the whole concept of social networking sites has helped sell any previous recordings, if so how?
I would say 80 percent of the EPs I have sold have been as a result of MySpace. Either my finding new people who liked my music in the beginning or my fans turning other people on to it. It has been huge, and has led to sales without much outlay of expense for marketing. Lately the ease of Facebook’s viral network was a major factor in my distribution, by fans, of 18,000appx free song downloads.
In your opinion how big a part has touring played in selling any previous recordings, and why?
I didn’t tour and hardly played out at all. That’s what makes my situation unique, since most unsigned bands are playing out all the time. I have preferred to do things online first until there is a demand to tour. So my overheads are basically nothing. This is a lot slower and relies on my fans telling other people about my music. Which relies on my music being good.
The touring to one man and his dog around the country is something that only record companies can bankroll and I don’t think it was much good anyway. I couldn’t have possibly afforded to do that with the limited rewards that offers. I have to be more thrifty than that!
Has there been anything else (for example Sponsorship/ Brand endorsement etc) that have made your achievements possible?
With my next EP my studio time is being provided by an internet downloading company who are sponsoring me. I am also talking with independent investors about financing the project. I would find it a huge problem to align myself with a product just for the sake of selling a product. If I would get offered a lot of money to endorse something I would not be interested unless it was in keeping with who I am. It cheapens the music. But if were on a major label and a sponsorship deal came up, I would do the deal, they would take the money. They dont care where it comes from, they need money – they are in trouble.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of not being signed to a label?
Disadvantages include the difficulty with which you can achieve immediate success with radio, TV etc. Due to the connections already established between the record labels and pr companies, they have an infrastructure that is already established where if you have a song that fits the bill, it can find its place in the media and immediate exposure. This leads to a better flow of fans, money etc. When you are unsigned you have to find a way through those doors, usually involving prohibitive sums of money, no matter how good your material is.
An advantage is the freedom to do things on your own terms, and to not need to compromise your integrity. Due to the difficulties record labels have in making money these days, they can force you into sponsorships, concerts, record deals that are poorly aligned with your artistry and it can undermine who you are. When you have an artistic vision in the first place, if you lose that you’ve lost the reason you are in music.
Would you consider signing to a label in the future?
It would depend on the amount of freedom they would give me to do things my way and the amount of freedom I would have to turn things down, be able to decide my schedule.
Record labels tend to be focussed on the bottom line of making money for their investors by any means necessary and that tends to equate to trampling on their employees’ (bands , artists) personal needs. What’s the point being signed if youre miserable?
