In Control

Here's a typical scenario that we here at Brandracket HQ see on an almost daily basis. The chronology goes something like this:

1. Artist's music is pitched to us by a promotions company - we'll call them The Provider - who, despite being the official rep for the artist during the current album cycle, does not know (or care to ask at the time they're hired) who controls the rights to the actual music.
2. We listen to the Artist and realize that they're a perfect match with one of our clients, Brand X. So we pitch it to them.
3. Sure enough, Brand X really likes Song Z and would like to license it for inclusion in Promotion Y. The all-in fee isn't huge by any stretch - $250 - but Brand X is massive, and the Artist will be credited prominently on-screen and featured on Brand X's blog, thereby exposing them to potentially thousands of life-long fans, some of whom will at some point pay to see the Artist, buy their merchandise and maybe - just maybe - purchase their music through a legal download store (or stream it on Rdio, Grooveshark, Mog, etc). Not to mention, other industry professionals like us may discover the Artist via the Brand X promotion, and offer them additional paid opportunities.
   
4. We hit up The Provider about licensing the track. Sorry, they say, you need to talk to the label directly. So we hit up the label. They're stoked, as is the band. But there's a problem: the band signed a publishing deal recently and while we might have been able to get the song for $250 a couple months ago, the price has now quadrupled.
5. Sorry, we say, Brand X only has $250. We move on to the next band in line, the one that controls 100% of their masters and publishing. They sign the licenses electronically in our BrandsForBands system in literally 2 minutes, and they're up on Brand X's web site two days later being listened to by thousands of kids, most of whom are hearing them for the first time. Love is in the air.

The moral of this story is NOT that big publishers and record labels are evil. We have many, many friends at both, and they are fine, upstanding members of society.

No, the moral of this story is that if you're going to relinquish control of your music, you better be damned sure that you know what you're doing, and that you've been well compensated in the deal. Because it might be the only money that you see for a long time.

Whenever you license, sell or otherwise transfer the rights to your songs or recordings to a third party, you are ceding a great deal of control. You are also ensuring that you will miss certain opportunities (see above).

Now, a person from one of the aforementioned third parties would be quick to argue that by partnering with a large publisher or record label you will be offered opportunities that are sexier, higher profile and more lucrative than those available to you as a free agent. On the cusp of 2011 this is highly debatable. But one thing is certain: you may be held hostage by your shiny new deal. This is not an exaggeration; we see it happen all the time (again, see above).

As we all know, it's a new world out there. There are opportunities galore for artists willing to hustle. But what's the point of working so hard if you're not able to make the final decision as to where/when/how your music is used, and at what price? By retaining control of your music you're the boss, able to cut deals and place your music on literally a moment's notice. And that's good. 'Cause companies like ours and the people we work for usually only have a moment (or less).

If you're savvy, willing to work your ass off to get your music in front of the right people, and - I cannot stress this enough - you have AMAZING SONGS - you will find that the smaller opportunities - the "micro gigs" - will present themselves. And they'll add up to real money over the long haul.

I'm walking proof of this. I was in a band for 15 years. For the longest time I wanted a publishing deal, and I was bummed when we didn't get one. But at the end of our run, when I added up all the license fees and PRO checks that I'd received - for bigger uses like TV shows and shoe commercials, but also a bunch of smaller placements that a big publisher wouldn't sneeze at - they significantly exceeded whatever advance we would've been offered (and most likely never recouped, because we would've been one of 500 artists on the roster).

My advice to young artists is this: if someone offers you serious money for the rights to your songs or recordings - consider taking it, and if you do, spend it wisely. Because as mentioned above, it may be all the money you'll see from that deal 1) ever or 2) for a very long time. However, if someone offers you a small advance, think twice and three times. Is a new van or gear for the band worth forfeiting the control, the opportunities you'll miss and the money you can earn on your own? There are other ways to raise capital, ones that don't involve relinquishing control of your biggest asset - and indeed the whole reason you do what you do: your music. ~ Tim

The Hard Sell

Went to an industry shindig here in LA the other night and all the free drinks and booze on offer couldn't eclipse the fact that many of the people in that room are doomed...or at least their jobs are.

This was a small group of highly intelligent music industry veterans - people from every corner of the business, including label reps, artist managers, publishers, social media honchos and press. The conversation was candid and free-flowing, with opinions galore. But one fact kept coming up: if you're in the business of selling digital media - whether it be music, video, books - you've got a very tough road ahead, one that I and many others believe could eventually end at a cliff if you refuse to accept the reality of what's happening around you.

I often appreciate the fact that we here at Brandracket are not in the business of selling content. We're essentially a broker; we facilitate mutually beneficial relationships between rightsholders and companies who want to license content for both paid and promotional uses. As long as copyrights exist, we'll have a business, though it will surely have its ups and downs.

But what about record labels, film studios, music and book publishers, and others who are in the business of bankrolling content, then charging for it? Will they have sustainable businesses 10 years from now, when technology has made pirating content almost telekinetic, and bands, filmmakers and authors no longer need a traditional infrastructure to distribute, promote and place their works? (This is already the case, actually.)

I think the answer is yes - for those who understand the space and where things are headed. Because while I do think that the traditional label/studio/publishing house model is on its way out, artists will always have a need for someone to help them distribute and promote their works to the world at large. I think there's a huge opportunity for well-organized, smart and experienced people to position themselves as mid-wives to these artists.

There was one gentleman at this industry confab who was quite vocal in his belief that the path to a sustainable future for rightsholders lies in 1) monetizing absolutely every shred of content and 2) selling more of it for less. It's all about micro-payments this guy was saying; forget about selling an album for $9.99 on iTunes - knock the price down to $3 and sell a lot more. That sounds to me like one helluva gamble for rightsholders (and a tough pill to swallow for artists), but he might be right. In the Age Of Free, rightsholders might need to take prices way down if they want any hope of people buying.

One thing is certain: any rightsholder standing still hoping that the problem of his dwindling sales will magically go away is on a collision course with extinction. Content owners: you are at DEFCON 1 ("Cocked Pistol" in the parlance of NORAD), a truly adapt-or-die situation. I would encourage you to experiment with different models, take some chances, make some mistakes (or victories) and learn. But whatever you do, do something. You can start here. ~ Tim

Now Sounds

Apologies to the 7 people who read this blog for not posting anything recently. We've been busy, real busy.

Reading over my previous post, I realize that I may come off as a bit of a curmudgeon who's fixated on music from the past. Well, just to prove that we do in fact listen to (and love) current artists and bands, here's a quick round-up (in no particular order) of stuff that's floating my boat, circa now:

Groove Armada - I'm loving Black Light, the band's recently released full-length on SF's esteemed Om Records. Stand outs are "Shameless", featuring Bryan Ferry at his croony best, and "Just For Tonight", a moody acoustic rocker with some excellent electronic flourishes.

One For The Team - Discovered this band via our friends at Afternoon Records (one of my favorite labels - their roster is consistently excellent). Great male-female vox and top-shelf songwriting. What more could you ask for? Check out their excellent new album Ghosts, which includes the stand-outs "Best Supporting Actress" and "Hard For You".

Deluka - A lot of people think this Brooklyn-via-Birmingham, England quartet is gonna blow up upon the release of its debut full-length this fall, and I must agree. Singer-guitarist Ellie Innocenti has some pipes for the ages and songs like "Cascade" and "OMFG" are winners. Think Elastica updated for the new millennium.

Admiral Radley - New indie-pop supergroup featuring Jason Lytle and Aaron Burtch from Grandaddy and Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray from Earlimart. 'Nuff said. The little geo-specific music bites at the end of "Sunburn Kids" are both brilliant and hilarious. I love a band with a sense of humor. Check their debut, I Heart California.

Autolux - This LA noise-rock band features ex-Failure bassist Greg Edwards, along with fellow '90s alt-rock vets Eugene Goreshter and Carla Azar. Though they owe a heavy debt to My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth, they manage to carve out a sound all their own, and new album Transit Transit is a real winner. Check out "Audience No. 2", "Supertoys" and the epic closer, "The Science of Imaginary Solutions".

Bad Rabbits - Do yourself a favor and seek out "Can't Back Down" from their late '09 album Stick Up Kids. The best Prince song that Prince didn't actually write. I'd really love to see these guys.

See? We do listen to stuff from this century. Hooray. ~ Tim

Speak Up, Please

I had lunch today with a guy who's pretty high up on the foodchain at one of the biggest indie labels in the world, and we both agree: a lot of independent rock music in 2010 sucks, or is at least not terribly interesting or engaging. So much of it is just milktoast, neutered...meh. No one is saying anything anymore. I call it the sissification of indie rock.

For me, the real issue is vocals and lyrics, specifically how both have increasingly taken a backseat to the music over the last decade. These days it's like we're trapped in some gauzy, mush-mouthed, non-committal, thumb-sucking version of what independent rock used to be.

The aforementioned label rep and I were reminiscing about The Minutemen. Now, this was a band comprised of three dorks (there's really no better description for D. Boon, Mike Watt and George Hurley, and they would most likely agree with that estimation). The Minutemen were not cool in any traditional sense of the word. But they didn't need to be. Because their music was so good and so compelling that it negated any need for additional trappings. And perhaps the thing that made the Minutemen one of the greatest bands of all time - other than their kick-ass art-funk/punk - was D. Boon's lyrics, sung loud and clear, usually with very little margin for interpretation. D. Boon sang about stuff like the legacy of Vietnam ("Vietnam"), the role of advertising in American culture ("Shit From An Old Notebook") and the tyranny of working for minimum wage ("This Ain't No Picnic"). He made statements - insightful, powerful, often humorous statements, communicated in straightforward language that everyone could understand.

There are of course legions of other bands that have done the same throughout the history of this music we call indie. Some of my faves:

X - John Doe & Exene's rock poetry was half Bukowski, half George Jones & Tammy Wynette, and all brilliant
Concrete Blonde - Johnette Napolitano was a master at communicating literal thoughts in an engaging, poetic way
The Replacements - The first and best emo band. What real heartache and desperation sounds like.
Archers Of Loaf - With songs like "Harnessed In Slums" and "Greatest Of All Time" Eric Bachman positioned himself as a master of angst articulation
Sebadoh - Lou Barlow is one neurotic mofo, but he's also a lyrical genius
The Hold Steady - I have contended since about 1995 that Craig Finn is the American Elvis Costello, from a lyrical perspective. And though it's my opinion that THS has essentially become an E Street Band tribute act at this point, I'm still grateful that Craig is carrying the torch for real lyrics, sung unironically.
Drive-By Truckers - Some of the best lyrics of the last decade about topics ranging from the war in Iraq to Vegas-bound grifters to the murder of a friend
Ted Leo - A great writer, not afraid to articulate exactly what he's thinking

The list goes on and on and on. But it starts getting very thin around the turn of the millennium. Why? Why do so many of today's young musicians eschew literal lyrics and prominently mixed vocals in favor of non-committal mumbling? Are they embarrassed to speak their minds? Do they not have anything to say? Have they been lulled into complacency by video games and Sidekicks and Facebook?

Now you 20-somethings out there, before you write me off as some nostalgic old codger, understand this: I listen to new music every day, all day. And it's very rare that I hear a band or artist that writes powerful lyrics (about something other than their own personal concerns) and sings them in a well-articulated manner. So I'm sincerely asking you: where are the bands that have something to say?

All I know is that if I see one more innocuous indie band or artist sheepishly approach the mic while staring at the ground I'm gonna hurl. Message to young musicians everywhere: please grow some balls/ovaries, write some real lyrics and turn them up in the mix. We live in an insane world; there is so much to talk about. Some of us would really like to hear what you have to say. ~ Tim

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dying

Saw this article in Digital Music News today. For those too lazy to click, here's the gist:

"US-based terrestrial radio stations suffered an absolutely brutal decline in 2009, according to data released Friday by the Radio Advertising Bureau. Across various revenue-generators - on-air, off-air, digital - revenues slumped 18 percent to roughly $16 billion. Of that, local stations suffered a 20 percent decline to $10.8 billion, and national stations slipped 19 percent to $2.4 billion."

For music-lovers and artists of my generation who grew up under the tyranny of terrestrial radio, this trend is fantastic news. No longer do behemoth's like KROQ in LA or K-ROCK in NYC control which bands and artists we're exposed to. Instead there are thousands of music sites, blogs, and services like Slacker, Pandora and La La, each one of them pointing us to scores of artists that heretofore would've gone undiscovered amidst commercial radio's iron fist hegemony.

These days, when I'm driving the freeways of LA and I dare to tune into KROQ (usually to giggle at how bad "modern rock" radio has become), I will inevitably hear a deep voice remind me that I'm listening to "The World Famous KROQ." News flash: you may be famous to the remaining 4 people who turn to you to discover new music, but to most music fans that I know you're a has-been, a totally obsolete relic. I mean, seriously: who listens to commercial modern rock radio anymore? I think the answer is 15 year olds who are discovering Nirvana for the first time, or people stuck in their cars, desperate for something to break the silence. As for me, if I never hear "Come As You Are," "Longview" or any song by the Foo Fighters ever again it will be too soon. At this point I have an almost Pavlovian reaction to hearing that stuff. I literally can't stand it. That's sad, and it is totally commercial radio's fault.

So here's to the continued decline of Big Radio. One thing for which I'm eternally grateful is that I've lived to see its power and influence totally eroded. Good riddance. ~ Tim