Record Labels: My View and My Top 3
Does my generation, on the whole, understand the importance of or respect the idea of a record label? There are definitely many who do, but in the wake of the fashionability of free downloads and independent releases (as in, not on independent labels but on no label at all), I can't help but wonder if the concept of how a record label can be beneficial is fading. Just from my conversations with fellow music enthusiasts, not to mention reading such sentiments in articles and on message boards, I have gathered that major record labels are often viewed as a source of mistrust and greediness - instead of a young, talented, independent artist aiming to be someday signed to a major record label, that seems to be the last thing they want to do! Amidst all of those straining for attention on the various social music media sites (which Last.fm most certainly is, MySpace Music to a slightly lesser extent nowadays though it appears to still be 'required' for every artist ever to have a profile there), there is some genuine talent that gets buried under the heaps and heaps, and most often their profile is marked, under where the label would go, with 'Unsigned'.
Why are they 'Unsigned'? There have been quite a few incidents where I've received an e-mail submission from a band to listen to their music and been (often unexpectedly, since there really is so much out there to wade through to get to the real goods) entirely astounded by how much I enjoyed their music and honestly shocked that they hadn't been snatched up by some indie label. Of course, there are those unsigned artists who prefer doing things their own way - they may view a label as somehow restrictive and pigeon-holing, or maybe they just know enough about music marketing that they can handle their own press releases and promotion (or enlist friends and other band members to help) and like to maintain that sort of control. However, unless and artist wishes to remain in obscurity, there are limits to how far personal promotion and organization of music can go, and many benefits to be gained from being part of an independent label or, perhaps better yet (as we shall see) a collective.
For starters, if you're part of an independent label, it's a bit like a family (or ought to be anyway). Musicians on an indie label often share similar artistic aesthetics even if their genres could be considered as different. As an example, I will talk about my own recent endeavor - Vulpiano Records. This is, by any estimation, still very much a small label and with lots of work to be done - it is an experiment which I hope and believe will prove successful in the long-run. I got in touch with artists I was personally impressed by (many of those 'Unsigned's I'd encountered through A Future in Noise submissions and Last.fm contacts previously) and that I thought ought to have a chance to be heard on a wider scale. As I mentioned previously on SleepWalking Mag, two of my models and inspirations for starting my own label were Engine Room Recordings (for their personalized submissions messages and reliability of goodness in their artists' quality) and Family Records (described as “an independent artist management and artist development firm, with full record label capabilities”). An artist has little (or nothing!) to lose from gaining the company of those who are willing to believe in and promote your music, namely if they deal in non-generic, catered press releases to the music blogs and websites that matter and work as a collective where all of the artists are regarded with equal importance and have equal opportunities. I'll go back a bit further to examine record labels of the past that I admire for various reasons, which also serve as inspiration for Vulpiano in some ways...
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A typical choice for #1? Probably - but how could anyone not think this was one of the coolest labels of all-time? With a curious cataloging system in place (including not only music but posters, film, books, events, and a number of more unusual items, including the Haçienda cat), Factory was begun in 1978 by the enterprising So It Goes TV presenter Tony Wilson and low-profile Alan Erasmus, with Martin Hannett handling much of production and Peter Saville being behind Factory graphic design. To like one Factory artist alone is often not altogether possible, as they are often intertwined - Joy Division / New Order - or are related in sound and image and general importance to post-punk as a movement (The Durutti Column, A Certain Ratio). The Haçienda nightclub, directed by Wilson and New Order, would serve as a high point of activity in Manchester (elevation of the importance of the DJ, particularly, and popularizing rave culture) and discovery (the Happy Mondays first played here in a "battle of the bands"). Factory is responsible for putting out some of my favorite artists of all time - and even had Joy Division / New Order been all I loved the label for, this label (despite some shortcomings involved from lack of artist contracts and monetary troubles) would've warranted inclusion in the list for it's historical importance to the post-punk / club scene culture in England, Peter Saville's powerful integration of artistic images with the artists connected to them (try separating the cover of Unknown Pleasures from the sound of the album), the freedom given to artists and the 50/50 split between the band and the label.
2. Rough Trade Also begun in 1978, emerging out of Geoff Travis' Rough Trade shop in London, Rough Trade has remained to the present-day one of the biggest primary sources for some of the most well-known and respected post-punk, indie, and general umbrella of 'alternative' artists you could possibly imagine. From their history - "The shop was trailblazing, farsighted, welcoming, radical – even revolutionary – and it was brimming over with wonderful things: seven-inch picture sleeves whose market was about to exponentially explode, reggae LPs, punk fanzines, badges." Looking through the Rough Trade back catalog just now I am quite impressed - the 70s alone included releases from Cabaret Voltaire, The Monochrome Set, Swell Maps, The Feelies, The Raincoats, Scritti Politti, and Television Personalities. Coming about with good-timing (much like Factory was in Manchester) in the thick of punk and post-punk exploding all around, Rough Trade would eventually also release albums from The Fall, The Slits, Pere Ubu, Wire, Violent Femmes, and The Smiths, and later still proving immensely important to the indie rock-sound revival in the early 2000s with The Moldy Peaches and Adam Green, British Sea Power, The Strokes, The Libertines, The Kills, Belle and Sebastian, and many, many more. The maddening proportion of excellent artists connected to one label and shop is something to marvel at, as well as the relatively successful integration of a well-known music shop and distribution arm with label business.
Connected up to Beggars Banquet Records (as Rough Trade became much later on) and founded in 1980 by two employees of the Beggars shop, Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent. Like Peter Saville was to Factory, Vaughan Oliver (see also this in-depth Quietus interview) developed a visual identity for 4AD, including designing cover art for Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, and the Pixies. Specializing in alternative and often ethereal/dreampop-oriented bands, their current roster includes Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, The Big Pink, Blonde Redhead, Camera Obscura, Deerhunter, Department of Eagles, and Gang Gang Dance.
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There are many other labels I could have gone on to mention for their interesting/important to certain movements rosters and presentation (Mute, Alternative Tentacles, Wichita, Warp, and so on) - you are welcome to share your views on the benefits (and detriments) of the independent record label/collective and your own personal favorites of the past and present in the comments!
7 COMMENTS / POST COMMENT:
Cool article.
Artist need to decide what they want of their careers when they aim to get a record label deal.
Big labels are in economic terms only providing artist with capital (a loan) and will require a big return in exchange. Obviously, most of the times big money is required to make it "big time" in music, that is a fact. However, money will always come with strings attached which may affect your artistic independence.
Independent labels will not provide you with money but, good ones will help you promote your music in a creative and inexpensive way, that sometimes can be more effective that spending US$ 100,000 in marketing.
Love Rough Trade!
Surprised you didn't mention Bauhaus in relation to 4AD. If memory serves, the band pretty much made the label's reputation in the early 80's. I always considered it THE label for goth bands, but I guess it kind of morphed into a more varied genre label.
Great post!
good
I have just launched a blog that focuses primarily on unsigned and indie artists. The thing I am noticing, is that for the most part it is voluntary. Everything is in their hands, and I think is making them realise what difference would a record label make? I guess it depends on the label. By the way, 24 hour party people is a great adaptation of Tony Wilson's career. Great article.
I suppose it all depends on the artist's intentions in pursuing music. Many don't actually want a career in music, choosing only to produce it as a hobby. But let's face it, there are a ton of artists who would love to be signed (to a major or indie label).
Since labels are increasingly less capable of putting much money into promotion they choose to sign artists who are already independently successful, choosing only to augment those careers that are already profitable. The label offers greater recognition and a larger audience, the artist then must prove that their act is successful on its own.
Overall I agree with your original sentiment that many artists don't see the value of a label. The benefits are definitely real and should be explored by any serious artist/entrepreneur (because an artist today must be both).
Er.. arn't most of your favourite labels there either no longer operational or have been bought out by one of the "big four" (or are we down to three, I always loose count)?
The problem as I see it is that most record labels have profit considerations, which is of course perfectly fine. However art with commericial considerations at its core is at a detrement to the art in the first place. Now there have been times when the two could overlap, but more and more the overlapping no longer happened on the major labels and moved on to the independant ones. Of course slowly and surely the independant labels get gobbled up by the bigger ones, its a vicious circle.
The fact of the matter is that the traditional structure of the record label is no longer condusive to an artistic atmosphere, as such any new labels that pop up will have to work under a different model (something I believe you yourself are attempting).
In any case whether you ignore what I say or not I HIGHLY reccomend anyone reading to read the following article by Steve Albini, entitled "The Problem with Music"
http://www.ram.org/ramblings/philosophy/fmp/albini.html
It outlines all the problems rather concisely from someone that knows what they're talking about.
@Francois: Right, money is definitely a big reason why certain artists want to get signed to big labels! The music industry has changed so much, though, especially since there are so many artists out there crying out for attention.
@Uncle E: Ah yeah, I should've mentioned them, you are right! :)
@JCM Live: Yeah, a lot of artists I think are not able to concentrate on promoting themselves as much as they'd like - this is where a PR team and/or record label would come in. I'm adding your blog to the blogroll here!
@Jonathan C.: Even if an artist is pursuing music more as a hobby than a career, it still doesn't make sense to me why they would want to be so willfully obscure - I think some of it comes from not knowing which sites to put their music and how to promote. A lot of the artists that I personally like best that send me their music for review, though, are unsigned and not on an indie label at all, which goes to show that a lot of truly talented artists out there are modest about their music.
@Tony: Because a label is no longer operational or has been somewhat absorbed by a larger group doesn't mean there isn't something to be learned from them, both the positives and the mistakes. Especially the mistakes, actually. Factory is probably one of the most beloved labels of all time, part of the downfall being the lack of contract fiasco and the money-draining that ensued fom the Hacienda. Peter Saville is one of few album art designers the general music fan is going to know by name (except for perhaps Hipgnosis). Rough Trade is actually currently independent again (part of the UK Beggars Group along with 4AD - both Rough Trade and 4AD are very much operational).
I've seen that Albini article before - definitely sensible and important for any band to come to grips with the monetary side of the industry
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