Musicians With Questions…
Music Industry Q&A with Kenny Love (04-30-08)
“Kenny, what is your overall take on the state of the Music industry and, particularly, major
labels and retail distributors?”
T. Jacobs
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KL: T, here’s my take on the state of the Music industry…
I was saying to a couple of new clients just this morning on how there has never been a better time to be an independent musician, with the incredible power and decisional control that artists have today.
Alternatively, it was only a few short years ago that the reverse was true, with many artists leaving the Music industry as a result of undue pressure from within it as well as what seemed like a ceiling on their level of success.
The only question remaining now, and a very important one, is if most (if not all) artists will learn to both harness and execute the power that they have now been granted through technology.
As for major labels, I truly wish that I could invoke the standard response and say that they started out way back in the day with good intentions, then went bad.
However, knowing what I know about their history and how, even as they were fledgling as small independents before becoming major label giants back in the 1950s and 1960s by using their recording artists as musical “slaves,” alas, I can defend very little (if any) of their mechanics and operations.
And, their ongoing theft of artists’ royalties shrouded long and well in their idea of “recoupment,” while simultaneously insulting the intelligence of music buyers through their price-gouged recorded product for years (anyone remember the $25 10-song CD?) as well as their presenting lukewarm and lackluster projects, simply adds more proverbial kerosene to the proverbial fire.
And, much of the same applies to distributors. At one point, and for quite some time at that point, it was easier for an independent musician to fly a small-engine aircraft successfully to Mars (and back) on a single tank of fuel solo than to get a distribution deal.
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[---SIDEBAR---]
For anyone wishing to argue the above point, please allow me to graciously inform you that Mars is approximately 35 million miles from Earth, and a small engine aircraft, such as the Cessna Citation X, only holds 1400 pounds of fuel, with a top speed of 703 miles per hour.
Now, when one takes the time (I, obviously, have too much time on my hands) to divide the 35 million mile distance by 703 miles per hour, the answer equates to the trip taking just about 49786.6 hours, which translates to 2074.4 days, ultimately, translating to a total of 5.6 years to reach Mars.
In the interest of getting the most out of the plane’s single tank of fuel, is why I have chosen to delay my own trip to Mars until summer, and I strongly suggest your doing the same.
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[---MAIN TOPIC---]
And, for those few Indie artists unfortunate enough to get a distribution deal on their own, meant waiting for months, and almost a year in some instances, in order to receive any profits from distributors for sales of their recordings.
And, even when distributors would pay Indie artists, they would, almost always, hold a certain amount of royalty payments in “reserve” with the excuse being (and, perhaps, valid in some instances) for any anticipated retail returns.
And, in most cases today, I believe that distributors may even be in far deeper trouble financially than major labels.
So, have the chickens now come home to roost for the major labels and the distributors?
Well, not only have their chickens come home to roost, but they have now been sound asleep for several hours. And, to that end, not even their rooster shall crow again at dawn.
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“Mr. Love:
Nightclubs have gotten out of control, with their pay-to-play situations that began out in LA a few years ago.
Now, as you have mentioned in your letter, a couple of new bad things are happening and, mainly, that some clubs are now forcing musicians to either sell tickets or bring in a certain number of people to clubs that they are trying to work a show with. How can bands overcome this?”
Tina Hobbs, Manager
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KL: Ms. Hobbs:
Ironically, I have recently changed my letter that I send to prospective promotion and publicity clients to reflect and address this at the onset in an attempt to “even the odds” for musicians caught in these vile situations that you mention.
In addition, I might suggest something that I am almost certain will never take place. And, should it, indeed transpire, please have a team of emergency medical technicians on hand and standing by to briskly transport me to the nearest medical facility as a heart attack victim.
And, that “something” is for bands in locations where this is occurring to get together and boycott such clubs. This will, almost assuredly, work well if the club hosts a respectable amount of (or mostly) independent local “live” music.
The first step would be to get bands together, address the problem(s), with all agreeing to implement this (hopeful) solution.
The second step would be for representatives from each band approaching such club owners or its management, and presenting and discussing this problem and solution(s) with the owners/managers.
Should owners/managers seem unwilling to entertain such changes and solutions presented, the third step (sigh) would be to inform these owners/managers that, as a result, an organized boycott by local bands would be implemented on a certain date, which would be carried out for a certain time period.
Even better, would be to get fans of local bands who frequent the clubs involved and included as well. This would “hit” clubs where they live and breathe…in their wallets two-fold through both a loss of “live” entertainment as well as a dramatic reduction of profits from club patrons.
An even nicer touch, would be to contact your local media to inform them that a boycott/strike is taking place by both musicians and club customers, which would serve to bring quite a bit of heat and negative publicity on the club(s) in question.
All of this is likely to get owners/managers to re-think their current methods and be open for more discussion. Again, this is most likely to have success with “showcase” nightclubs that, primarily, rely on “live” music to attract and maintain their clientele.
In your negotiation attempt(s) in your first meeting with club owners/managers, you may even mention your, possibly, going to the media to present your case and inform them of the combined musician/club customer boycott, which may serve to get exactly what you want without further ado.
- Kenny Love
P. O. Box 764
Crockett, Texas 75835
(936)545-0381
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Tags: gigging, music business, music industry, musicians, nightclub owners, nightclubs, state of the music industry
