It was mooted last week that persistent illegal downloaders could lose their internet service provision, in the music industry’s latest bid to claw back lost revenue. Figures were wheeled out to the tune of billions lost due to illicit filesharing.
Perhaps riled at perceptions of continued greed and musical autocracy, the industry defends itself by saying that funds lost by downloads prevent investment in new talent. However, far from being some benevolent gesture, record companies will seek to recoup this investment via album sales, gigs etc which can leave little for the artist.
Besides, much of the “new talent” that gets grossly-hyped by major labels is formulaic music that is already proven to sell. If they could no longer afford to tout supermarket dross like Adele, Kate Nash and The Hoosiers then that would be wonderful.
Anyway, are record companies even necessary anymore? To any aspiring artists, I would say this: why entrust your music to businessmen who will take the money, influence the music and ultimately own you? If you really want to succeed, then record, gig and promote yourself. It’s 2008 and the tools are there.
For example, bands can now record themselves on their laptops without relying on record companies to pay for hideously-expensive studio time. MySpace and similar sites make it easier than ever for bands to get their music heard. Getting a gig isn’t difficult in a big city with a plethora of venues, so leave the sticks and head to Manchester or London. Play everywhere, work hard and if you’re any good you’ll make it – word of mouth is a powerful and much-underrated marketing tool.
That said, I suppose it depends how you define “make it” – is making great records and playing life-affirming gigs not reward enough in itself, or do you need the swimming pool and Bugatti Veyron?
To quote no less a luminary than Johnny Marr from his Guardian interview last week: “Many bands think you can't make it without some fat cat in London or New York to manage you. That's just crap. All you need is someone a bit older than you with a bit of business nous whom you trust. I got to know this bloke [Joe Moss] who ran the clothes shop next door to the one I was working in and I'm proud to say we've been together ever since."
This alternative route of cutting out the middleman and paying the band directly for their wares could keep down the cost of legal music whilst ensuring the band are rewarded for their efforts. Just a thought.
Sunday, 17 February 2008
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