Somebody I know in the music business recently pitched me to a record label. A strong independent label whose biggest artist I'd be pretty compatible with on a tour. My friend was really excited because it seemed a perfect fit to her, and she really wants to help me out. The label people asked the usual question: "Does he have a booking agent?" If not they weren't interested. Most of the agents I've talked to want to know if I've got a label. This got me thinking negative thoughts along the lines of "there's hardly anyone in the music business, anymore, who will take a chance on an artist. Be the trailblazer. (And get the benefits of that work, if it does pay off.)" But the more I thought about it the more I realized that, though that is true to some extent, (There are very few risk-takers out there) there is also another thing going on. The other thing going on is that the Big Media is virtually closed to independent, niche artists now, because it is all corporate owned and publicly traded. The way bands get big now is guerilla marketing at smaller media outlets and on the internet, and constant touring with effective pr to go with the tour. This costs money and takes TIME. It used to be that there were alot of big boosts along the way, such as getting on Letterman or SNL or a video getting play, but this isn't so much the case anymore. So the folks at even an indy label are looking at a long, hard, expensive road. I think nowadays more artists get capitalized privately than by record companies. (inheritances, patrons, etc...) The end result, for me, is to just keep on plugging away doing what I do, and people keep getting on board. Enough get on board I might start to make the kind of living where the root canal I have coming up won't put me into debt for a year or more. Where I can get health insurance so that the though of a hospital visit doesn't bring up the idea of filing for bankruptcy. I'm lucky to be able to live where I live. I almost moved out of the Hudson Valley because of the cost of being here, but it is my home and all of my family and friends are here. So it goes. I thank everyone who has helped. Paying for the stickers, dropping extra into the tip jar, hiring me to play a party, or just buying the records.

Friday, January 14th 2011