Hi Marty,
I was looking for a tab at a site when I stumbled upon an interesting article about the state of rock and roll music today. I'll post some excerpts but the rest of the article is located at: http://www.mxtabs.net/content.php?
file=Article6

What do you think about some of the points the author makes?

For example, the author beleives that the station "works with the large record labels-Sony, RCA etc. to provide exactly what they want you to hear, what they estimate will garner them large profits (at minimal payout to the artists), both for the record label and the corporate radio stations. Today’s radio programming is about money, not music"

Do you think this is true?

Also:

"In recent times we have seen the next evolution-or, perhaps the opportune term would be regression-of the record label artist management system. This is the philosophy of garnering the quick dollar by latching on to the current fad and milking it for all it’s worth (to be fair, this has always been around, but previously to a smaller, less severe extent). After that’s done, they move on to the next fad, casting aside the artists of old, not giving them time to grow musically, as individuals and bands, to produce higher levels of music. The Red Hot Chili Peppers put out music for 8 years before recording their critically acclaimed megahit album, "Blood Sex Sugar Magic" in 1991. Imagine if discarded artists such as Marcy Playground were given this ample time to develop. Scope out the rock radio waves-how many artists have been around for 5 years? 10 years? Not many. The vast majority is relatively newly signed artists. Coincidence? I think not. Not only does this allow the ! record labels to move from fad to fad, but also with the basic contracts, which cut very little into the profits of record labels off album sales.

Finally the author gives us musicians some tips to breaking through:

"Be ready to work with a bland, creatively lacking producer who’s just chomping at the bit to mold your sound into the generic modern rock sludge, boring down it’s guitar parts to flat, colorless tone deaf noise and boxy drums. "

"Do not learn how to play your instrument-if you already have, forget everything you have learned, because true talent scares record labels-if they sign a couple extremely talented rockers, then the audience might start asking for that quality of music constantly, something which is difficult and more costly for the record labels to produce."

Sorry about making this question so long, but I'm just wondering what you think about how the labels are doing things these days. Is the author really far from the truth or is this how you think bands are treated?

Thanks,
Kyle

Many interesting points, but in a word, lighten up! That is why it is called the music 'business'. It is a product, like butter or milk. There is no accounting for taste, and talent alone does not sell records. It takes much more than just talent to make it in any business. That's why 'talented' people should stop acting like they deserve a handout and work their asses off to make it in the system, because that happens to be reality. Remember this- 2% inspiration, 98% perspiration.