ITP V.05 THE MUSIC BUSINESS: The music industry, nothing ever changes..

Soo, it's one of those things. Local bands around here (some of whom have yet to put out a single demo) want to be signed to label X and sign their  life, and art away. Think TWICE, because the music industry is a cruel, cold, explotive place..Perhaps a band or artist could use a good entertainment lawyer, entertainment being the operative word, because not just any lawyer will do.
It's amazing that bands jump after any dangling carrot, just to get signed, when in essence they are signing themselves into potential indentured servitude, and this could hinder themselves and thier careers.
Not that I haven't liked many of Relapse's releases, and I'm a fan of Nile and Necrophagist. However, I have told friends that Mastodon are just a cash cow for Relapse (as they have since signed with major label Warner) as they and DEP get all the promotion from that label.
When I say, I'm DIY, I MEAN it. Perhaps international distribution on likewise genre of music distro, and a good booking agent for national/international touring ( booking agents just for touring purposes, book your self, DIY locally and regionally) is all you need. The music industry has changed since NAPSTER, and record labels, specifically the major corporate, monopolies are starting to fold, be bought off, and lose money there fore squeezing the artist. I have THAT much more respect for Ani Difranco or Ian McKaye of Fugazi (sure Ani and Ian are NOT METAL) for starting their own record labels, and blowing off the majors, as in the "Million You Never Made"..
Nothing against Relapse or their  roster (as we all know that DEP and Mastodon get the benefit for better promotion and good tours). Who in the hell needs record labels anymore?. I mean ya got PRO TOOLS, P2P file sharing, mp3 service providers (international distro right there)..If it wasn't for the RIAA, a coup de ta would have overthrown the industry and this "need" for indentured servitude  towards this dependency on what we call  "the recording industry" would have ended these record labels....A band might NEED international distro with a good booking agent for national and international touring...That, touring, international distro is the only reason why record labels these days exist, and international distro can be found seperate from record deals/labels..
Only because most booking agencies will only book bands that are signed to small or major indies or above that, and whom plan on TOURING. Unless of course you have friends in high places that will take on the road/under their wing or have been in previously signed projects..OR if you're inbetween record deals and have previously toured. Other wise, it's DIY..                                                                                                         If you play buttfuck Kansas on tour and no ones ever heard of you, you have not much (if any) distro, no record deal, no radio airplay, and haven't toured before, ummm, it's "Who the fuck are you?" from the audience...                                          Of course, NOW there's the internet, P2P file sharing, where ya could of heard a band before they were signed, or before you saw them live, OR BEFORE they had a record deal.  Hate Eternal did an interview recently (Hate Eternal are signed to Earache) about being "underexposed" and fans can't find thier CD's in record stores. That's a shame really, a band signed to a major indie doesn't get the best distro as in house record store buyers won't STOCK thier CD's.
Most indie bands have that problem, at best, you can order from the record store, or from the labels website or mail order, but even with international distro, touring is mandatory so at least you an sell a few copies of your latest release on the road..
Shit, the music industry has ALWAYS been this way BEFORE NAPSTER.
All record labels are like this, although Relapse still is a decent international distro (mail/internet order) it's sad to know that even Relapse could be devoid of integrity towards it artists..However, who knows what's going on between TITD and RELAPSE (as all contracts are confidential), and many RELAPSE staffers deny making much $ at all (that's more the truth as opposed to label owners) this could be the "SANDBOX". I wish that Steve Austin would elaborate on this post on SMNNEWS.COM further.
Bands/artists btw, don't make a red penny until they pay back their  label "recoupment" (think of record labels as a bank that "Loans" you $ for your recording, promotional, marketing, and sometimes touring needs). Until a band or artists makes a label a profit, the artist doesn't see a dime. Even then, an artist may only make ten cents per $20.00 CD sold. That's why extreme metal bands tour relentlessly and sell merchandise on the road (buy the MERCH, there fore support the artist so they can EAT and make it with tolls and gas to the next stop on thier tour itinerary), since death/extreme metal is an underground and not so profitable genre..Don't quit your day jobs, or realize than you will have to juggle (and financially struggle) a day job and take off time from work to tour. If there is "job security" in your line of employment, keep your job as there is not much "stability" in being in an extreme metal band. Ask, Jon Vesano whom left Nile late last winter, or Sherwood whom left Skinless last year for more "stability" in their lives.. Gawd forbid ya got kids or a mortgage to pay....
 FROM SMNNEWS.COM..
Today Is The Day's Steve Austin - "We Have Wanted To Be Off Relapse Records Since 1999" posted on 08-22-2005 @ 2:04 PM
TODAY IS THE DAY founder Steve Austin has posted the following message on the band's official SMNnews.com hosted message board (NOTE: The following message has been edited since posted, in which almost all content has been removed. See the posting at this location.):

"hi TODAY IS THE DAY fans and friends,

the talk of what label we will be on has been coming up and i wanted to set the record straight on our plans. we know that TODAY IS THE DAY means alot to you and we wanna keep you informed.......

there will be a full-length announcement on the home page of the www.todayistheday.org websiteconcerning our label deals later this week.

we signed with relapse records in 1998 for 4 records. we gave them 3 full length cd's, a double album, and an ep. way more than our contact called for. we have wanted to be off of relapse records since 1999, and have been on the label against our will since then. kiss the pig finalizes our contract and we are free.

we have been offered several deals by lables that we dig that are based on integrity and honesty. some big and some small...we are also going to release supernova, willpower, and self-titled cd's and live dvd's on our own label, supernova records.

we appreciate thehard work that key people did that worked for relapse, but most of those folks have moved on and we are not down with the relapse scene at all, anymore......we created it and have been the cornerstone of integrity for this label.....

------------- was the founder of the label with ------------ as a partner. the label only had NEUROSIS and AMORPHIS when we went into partnership with them and got their fledgling label off the ground.

soon bands like SOILENT GREEN and THE UNSANE signed on and the ball was rollin'....

later in 1999, ------------ was pushed out of the picture by a little man, with a very small mind and penis, named ------------ at relapse records. so, it goes the quality and the integrity with the changing of the guard at what was once a home for underground driven music.

now, it's all about bullshit and personal vendetta's being fulfilled by little monkeys, like ------------.

notice how there are like "2" bands that exist on relapse and the rest of the roster gets treated like a bunch of start-up kid bands with no promotion.....

the artists like TODAY IS THE DAY, get nothing while a corporation grows bigger and bigger......

pushing safer and safer music that is accessible and will play on radio and mtv.

we wish the best to all of the great artists on relapse records and hope they all get a good lawyer to help resolve any of them ever getting paid for anything they have done while on relapse records......

after 4 albums, 1 ep and appearing on 4 dvd's for relapse records, today is the day has never recieved one penny for anything we have made for the label.

but, we are not special because from knowing alot of the other bands on this label, that are leaving, no one else has either. only the monkeys behind the computer screens in the office have been paid and paid well...

you have seen us on the cover of metal maniacs because we are friends with the people who run the mag. we asked if we could be on it. you have seen our videos on uranium. the label couldn't even send the videos to uranium....i guess there were "problems" with shipping.....anyways, we are friends with uranium too, and they play our videos because they want to.....we supply them...

so, as you can see we have been totally diy all the way. the only thing relapse has done for us is put a logo of their label on our records and make money off of us.........

don't be fooled by bullshit kids......

there is no "team".....

the underground is real. it's just not what you might think it is....there is a lot of shit to make 1 think, wow this is soooo cooool.....well, if making music from your heart is what you wanna do and you want people to hear it, you don't need a "cooool" record label to put it out on......

more than likely, you'll tour for them for hundreds of shows and the cash will go into their pockets, financing sick cars and nice homes.....while you and your family struggle just to make ends meet.......

again, we are very happy to be free and make "axis of eden" be the way we want it to....no censorship, no bullshit, just real music and words the way that we mean it.

support the good bands on relapse and any other label for that matter.

we play music because we want to. i have a job to make a living with called engineering and i don't play my songs to get paid. i play them because they are in my heart and i have to let them be heard.....

thanks to everyone who has supported TODAY IS THE DAY.

also, please note that the sadness will prevail and live till you die combo, is not our idea. it is a money making scheme to sell more records by relapse. also, they will keep putting out dvd's and records of our's withoutour approval, due to loopholes and contract crap.

we do not approve of any other releases including all of the contamination, recollection dvd's........that again we have never been paid 1 dime for. don't buy the shit, they are just using you for a paycheck.

remember today is the day and your favorite bands will get none of the money you plunk down for those releases.

be smart, download it.....

thanks!
steve austin
TODAY IS THE DAY

"axis of eden"spring 2006."

(Disclaimer: Names have been removed at the label's request)
I'll find Steve Albini's post on the music industry from DOWNHILL BATTLE and post it here soon..Thanks-Tee-Stay Metal, Stay Brootal- -l- \m/

comme